THE main presenter of BBC2’s Gardeners’ World has hit back at critics who have said the show has been dumbed down.

TV garden expert Toby Buckland has been visiting Guernsey as part of Floral Guernsey Spring Festival week.

He said the programme’s viewing figures were on the rise and that at the start of April, the show was the ninth most-watched BBC2 programme that week with 2.13m. viewers. Last week, the show climbed to become the fourth most popular show with 2.23m. viewers.

‘We are reaching a wider audience and that is very important,’ said Mr Buckland. ‘The new show is great and it has a real buzz to it. It is a very exciting time in gardening as more people get into it.’

The show has been criticised by a former presenter for being too simplistic for experienced gardeners, but Mr Buckland (pictured) was not surprised at that.

‘BBC programmes have always been criticised when things change,’ he said.

‘It is a shame if anyone doesn’t like it, but they do have a right to their opinion. It will settle down as people get used to it.’