Monty Don has been reminded of the BBC's editorial guidelines after wearing a Barbour jacket on Gardeners' World while promoting the same brand in an advertising campaign. The BBC confirmed it spoke to the presenter about the breach.
The 70-year-old was seen wearing the £300 jacket in the latest series of the hit show and on the programme's official social media feed. BBC guidelines state that presenters must not appear on-air wearing clothing they have been contracted to promote or endorse.
A BBC spokeswoman said: “We have clear guidelines around presenters' commercial activities while working with the BBC, and Monty has been reminded of these guidelines.” The jacket features in Barbour's “Way of Life” campaign, which encourages fans to “shop the look” worn by Don.
Barbour described Don as “Britain’s most legendary gardener” and “the perfect anchor” for its spring/summer 2026 collection. Other stars in the campaign include Frankie Bridge, AJ Odudu, Ella Eyre and Jack Guiness.
This is not the first time the BBC has enforced its rules on presenters' commercial activities. In the past, Ski Sunday stars Graham Bell and Chemmy Alcott were banned from wearing clothing from a skiwear brand they endorsed. In 2024, Gary Lineker appeared to breach the same rules by wearing outfits from his own fashion range during England's Euros coverage.
