The gardening community was left saddened yesterday, Tuesday 8 September, when Monty Don announced that he’ll be leaving Gardeners’ World after 23 years presenting the BBC’s beloved show. While we’re going to miss him, his blooming Longmeadow garden and his dog, Ned, there’s a selection of exciting contenders who could step into his gardening boots.
Since the BBC’s longest-running gardening show launched in 1968, there has always been a man in the top presenter slot. Monty’s predecessors on BBC Two’s Friday-night fixture include Alan Titchmarsh, Geoff Hamilton and Percy Thrower. The BBC has not yet announced who will replace the broadcaster, but there are some exciting names who could step into his gardening shoes.
From familiar Gardeners’ World faces (one of whom has been described as ‘the perfect replacement’), to a much-loved radio personality and an actor turned garden influencer, here’s a run-down of who we think could take on the challenge.
Frances Tophill
Much-loved presenter and horticulturist Frances Tophill, 36, seems the perfect option to replace Monty. She joined Gardeners’ World in 2016 and is a regular fixture on the show, impressing viewers with her approachable style, practical advice and passion for sustainable gardening. In 2022, her debut garden design at BBC Gardeners’ World Live won Best Show Garden, and in 2026 she designed a show garden with Sir David Beckham for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. She’s also published books including First-Time Gardener and The Container Gardener. As a millennial, she could bring a new energy to the long-running show!
Sophie Raworth
Another interesting possibility to take over from Monty Don is Sophie Raworth, 58, who’s been a permanent fixture in our living rooms for decades as a BBC newsreader. But she’s not only well-versed in current affairs – she’s also an impressive gardener. Sophie regularly fronts the broadcaster’s coverage of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and, in 2014, she featured on Gardener’s World to explain why gardens and flowers mean so much to her. As an esteemed broadcaster with a clear love of horticulture, she’d make a great fit.
Jo Whiley
One of the BBC’s most iconic voices, Jo Whiley, 61, has been keeping us company over the airwaves since 1993. But when she’s not presenting her BBC Radio 2 show, you’ll find her outside planting seeds. The presenter has combined both of her passions through her gardening podcast Dig It, with co-host Zoe Ball, and she also hosts the RHS Roots video podcast, in which she explores the gardens of much-loved personalities, including Dame Mary Berry, Judi Dench and even Monty Don. Jo’s warm energy and familiarity could bring a whole new wealth of viewers to the show.
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Caroline Quentin
While you might know Caroline Quentin, 66, from 1990s TV series such as Men Behaving Badly and Jonathan Creek, the actor has since made gardening her full-time passion. She’s the author of gardening book Drawn To The Garden, and has an impressive Instagram page @CQgardens, which gives us a glimpse into her magical Devonshire garden.
In 2024, she showed Good Housekeeping around the outdoor sanctuary she spent 18 years nurturing: highlights include a flowerbed dedicated to her mother and a breathtaking pond. With her existing impressive outdoor space, and her engaging social media presence, Caroline could be another brilliant option.
Arit Anderson
Another cherished fixture on Gardeners’ World is Arit Anderson, 57 – and she’s an exceptionally strong contender. Arit joined the show as a co-presenter in 2017, and is also a garden designer and writer. She enjoys numerous accolades in the gardening world, and in 2013, she picked up the RHS Fresh Talent award at the Chelsea Flower Show.
More recently, the breathtaking garden she designed alongside Parkinson’s UK (partly inspired by her sister’s own journey with the disease) earned her the BBC RHS People’s Choice award at the Chelsea Flower Show. Interestingly, she carved out a career in gardening, training as a garden designer, after 25 years working in fashion. She’s especially interested in the connection between wellbeing and gardening, and could bring to the show even more emphasis on the mental-health benefits of spending time outside, alongside all the practical advice and familiar elements viewers know and love.
See Caroline Quentin and Sophie Raworth at this year's Good Housekeeping Live x Country Living Market on 11 and 13 November respectively. As well as the chance to get a head start on your present buying at the artisan Christmas market, the show is packed with celebrity talks, food demonstrations, craft workshops and more... Tickets are selling out fast so buy yours now!
