Frances Tophill, a presenter on BBC's Gardeners' World, has opened up about her doubts regarding her television career, admitting she is not certain she made the right decision to join the show's line-up.
Tophill, 36, first appeared on the programme in 2016 and has become a fan favourite, particularly after veteran presenter Monty Don announced he was leaving last month, sparking speculation that she could take over. However, no announcement has been made yet, and Tophill has previously told the Telegraph she would rule out replacing him after experiencing a taste of fame when she briefly stepped in for him in 2023.
Tophill's reflections on her career path
Speaking to The Plant Pod podcast, Tophill said: “You know I think when people ask me how they can get into it, I can’t really advise because it was just sort of following a few whims and then saying yes to stuff that terrifies you.
“And I don’t even know if I made the right call. You know there’s a part of me that thinks it would have been lovely just to be a gardener. And now you sort of get used to this slightly busy lifestyle and you think, ‘Well, could I cope with that now? Could I cope with not being freelance, not being my own boss?’
“And, you know, it’s a funny one, but I think if people are going into gardening, I would say if they love gardening, they should just stick with gardening. It’s a funny thing…I know lots of people want to go, you know, you think it’s this amazing job and it is.”
Gratitude and education through television
Despite her doubts, Tophill said she still felt very fortunate and that her television career had helped her expand her knowledge and become more educated about a subject she loves.
She added: “I am very lucky. I get to meet loads of people. I get to learn loads about horticulture. And I came out of university with a kind of knowledge and some experience but then I got to suddenly start talking to different people, including Alan Titchmarsh about plants and learning more and more and more.
“So, for my education it’s been amazing, but it does take over your life and it does pull you away from horticulture because you spend a lot of time travelling around.”
