Radio 4's lost the plot! Former host of Gardeners' Question Time slams BBC's decision to employ 'amateur' as show's new anchor Professor Stefan Buczacki, 73, criticised the new host Kathy Clugston this week He said the public may not 'respect' someone with little gardening knowledge Ms Clugston, 49, said she was a gardening 'novice' and 'enthusiastic amateur' She will replace Eric Robson, who has been chairman since 1994, in May 2019 By Katherine Rushton For The Daily Mail Published: 00:58 GMT, 22 March 2019 | Updated: 14:36 GMT, 22 March 2019 3 Viewcomments Stefan Buczacki, who is a former chairman of the show, has accused the BBC of dumbing down the programme A former chairman of Gardeners’ Question Time has accused the BBC of ‘dumbing down’ after it handed the reins of the show to an ‘enthusiastic amateur’. Kathy Clugston was named this week as the first female chairman of the Radio 4 programme. The Shipping Forecast presenter, 49, admitted she is a gardening ‘novice’ and would ask panellists to ‘spell things out if they get too technical’. But now Professor Stefan Buczacki, one of her predecessors, has criticised the Corporation for choosing someone with little horticultural experience. He accused BBC bosses of choosing ‘style over substance’ and sidelining qualified experts. He said: ‘The BBC are obsessed with enthusiastic amateurs and seem not to recognise the merit … of the qualified professional. ‘I am not really sure the public can have respect for someone who knows no more gardening and probably in many cases knows a lot less gardening than they do themselves. It is one aspect of dumbing down. It is not treating gardening as a subject with the respect it merits.’ Kathy Clugston, 49, has been named the first female chairman of the Radio 4 programme. She is due to start at her post in May Ms Clugston has said she is a gardening 'novice' and will ask panellists to 'spell things out if they get too technical' Gardeners’ Question Time, which is broadcast every Friday, features a panel of expert gardeners travelling around the country and taking questions from locals. Prof Buczacki, 73, was on the show for 13 years in the 1980s and 1990s, first as panellist and then chairman. He studied botany at Southampton University and forestry at Oxford, and is a chartered horticulturist. Miss Clugston is also well-educated, though her degree from Queen’s University Belfast was in French and Russian. She will replace Eric Robson, who owns a sheep farm and has been chairman since 1994, on May 3. The BBC yesterday played down the need for an expert chairman, given the panel are specialists, and said Miss Clugston would bring a ‘thirst for horticultural knowledge’. The BBC said that Miss Clugston would bring a 'thirst for horticultural knowledge' to the show BBC Two’s Gardeners’ World was similarly accused of ‘dumbing down’ when it appointed Toby Buckland host in 2008. He spent much of his stint focusing on tips for beginners. Two years later, the BBC announced a ‘return to proper, grown-up gardening’ with Monty Don back in the main role. The BBC said when it announced Miss Clugston’s appointment that she would bring a ‘thirst for horticultural knowledge’. And yesterday it played down the need for an expert chairman, given the panel are specialists. A spokesman said: ‘We have an expert panel on Gardeners’ Question Time who share their knowledge and tips for inexperienced and experienced gardeners alike. For the past 25 years the chair has not been a professional gardener, and we are really excited to have such a brilliant broadcaster like Kathy take on this role to continue the tradition of championing listeners and their gardening dilemmas.’ Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility