I tend to agree with a reply submitted by 'Anonymous' at the beginning of this thread....continuity is everything. I've never got over Geoff Hamilton dying ( although I'm sure he didn't do it to spite us, bless him ) and Gardener's World has never been the same since. I didn't much appreciate Alan Titchmarsh, although he's an excellent presenter with a sound background in horticulture and knows his stuff; but there was always a bit too much 'titillation' for the ladies and that Yorkshire charm doesn't do anything for me. Rachel de Thame is a pretty lass, Sarah Raven lives at Sissinghurst and bosses plants into growing, Alys was a passing fancy and Toby likewise. It seems that we, the viewers, must be constantly stimulated by 'new' or 'fresh' presenters wearing weirder and more eccentric 'costumes' in order to keep the viewing figures up - maybe it's a case of touting for new viewers rather than giving the loyal gardening public a reliable and familiar programme they can continue to appreciate?
Monty Don drives me mad with his manic digging and every time I see him wielding a trowel I cringe; but he's back, so can we keep him, please, and not have to put up with this constant stream of unfamiliar faces? Keep Joe, keep Carol, ditch the rest and maybe introduce one newcomer with whom we can familiarise ourselves and who will, perhaps, one day, provide the programme with it's 'new' front man or woman.
