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For many, Monty Don will forever be associated with the bucolic setting of Gardeners’ World, but the presenter has good reason for hanging up his shears.
Last month, Don confirmed that he would be departing the long-running BBC gardening programme after more than 20 years as its lead presenter – a role that has made the 71-year-old a national treasure to millions across the country.
Despite the outpouring of sadness and love from fans in the wake of his announcement, Don is not having any second thoughts about his decision.
In a new interview with Gardeners World Magazine, Don revealed the moment he knew it was right to leave the show.
He explained that the demands of the job go far beyond just filming. “The commute [to his garden at Longmeadow, where the show has been filmed since 2011] is delightfully short, but when I go home I take the job with me, seven days a week, 24 hours a day,” he said.
“Then, one day this summer, I woke up and knew it was time to stop. Simple as that. They say of sportspeople wondering when to retire, ‘You just know.’ Well, I just knew.”
There is no doubt that Don’s presence will be missed. Since taking over from lead presenter Alan Titchmarsh in 2002, Don has won over fans with the wisdom and knowledge he imparts from his garden at Longmeadow in Herefordshire.
Over that time, his dogs have also become regular fixtures on the series, including golden retriever Nigel, who died in 2020, Brittany spaniel Peggy, who died in January 2026, Yorkshire terrier Patti, who died last month, and his current dog, Ned, another golden retriever.
He took a three-year break from the show after suffering a minor stroke in 2008.
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In a statement announcing that the current series would be his last, Don said: “Now is the right time for a change. I look forward to continuing to work with and for the BBC on other projects, as well as following new avenues. There are more books to write, more programmes to make.
“And of course, I will still be gardening, dog by side, here at Longmeadow.”
The announcement was met with an outpouring of love from fans of the show, including BBC’s chief content officer Kate Phillips who praised how open Don has been about his personal struggles with grief and depression, advocating for “the power of the natural world to improve mental health”.
Over the years, Don has been candid about his struggles with serious depression, which he has suffered from since his mid-twenties. He has spoken about how together with medication, gardening help his mental health immensely.
The question of who will replace Don on Gardener’s World remains unanswered, with Frances Tophill, 36, and Adam Frost, 56, both regulars on the programme, being considered as frontrunners for the role.
Tophill would be the first woman to lead the show if she were to nab the part. That said, in May, she told The Telegraph that she was “not hungry” to replace Don given the level of fame that comes with the job.
The BBC said an announcement will be made in due course.