Allotment Wars BBC 1 Or BBC One HD

[Sheneval]

Thankfully the programme isn't being shown in Wales - why do we have to have programmes with arguments and negativity all the time? Pots is right - they must think they get better viewing figures. Trouble is that people "with too much time on their hands" will watch the programme and we'll all get tarred with the same brush.
Sheneval - I think I'd rather see the Allure of the Allotment instead.

You will be able to see it on Wales as we will in Scotland, but at a different time - you are always going to get some personality clashes but It seems they have tried to drag them all into the one programme but you have to watch in case this is mainly Marketing hype.

I agree but even the 'allure of the allotment' which represents in the main what I have found on my own site, particularly over this last 7 weeks, when only the real die hards are about, has a background of possible loss of the site which for the people involved would be an absolute disaster. The people who are threatening this site should be named and shamed.

I've just watched A-Z part 2 on IPlayer - even better than the first one

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

I can see the point in this programme. On some allotments there is all out war. Yes, unfortunately Mr Frosty and I have been on the receiving end where people who are meant to be representing the Community are on an Allotment Committee and are hell bent at blocking access to people with physical disabilities and school kids with special needs. Plus said same people do not respect the Data Protection Act and have a sense of entitlement to plotholders data (our details!). Thankfully they were stopped but are now wanting access to all data (guess what still not bl**dy entitled!) The programme could just have filmed at the allotments we were connected to. The situation there has now progressed onto truly shocking personal attacks which could affect a certain persons business.

I should also point out there are some really excellent Committee members but they are hampered by being honest.

[seanjamescameron]

Firstly I must point out that I work in television as a producer/director. I was approached by the production company behind Allotment Wars early last year about possible involvement on the crew. It became clear very quickly that the show was going to pit allotment holders against committees. After a few weeks they finally admitted they were looking for arguments between plot holders and committee/councils. At this point I withdrew myself from discussions. I advised them this programme wouldn't be received well with gardeners but this didn't matter. I then advised as many as possible to withdraw their support and as far as I'm aware, they did. A lot of well-known allotment supports also withdrew support at this stage.

I have always championed for a gardening programme aimed at the amateur gardener. Simply, down-to-earth advice without breaking the bank balance. The standard reply I get when meeting with commissioning editors is "it's a niche area" and doesn't justify the amount of budget that would need to be spent on it. Channel 4 once advised me to "forget about television, everything will be online within 3 years" and I now believe they are right. Therefore this brings in new opportunities for "niche areas". Even though a programme which includes conflict does attract viewers it's not the be-all-and-end-all.

A series similar to The Victorian Kitchen Garden would never been made these days. That first series cost around half a million to produce. TV today wants fast turn around times and celebrities, and as we all know, nothing is that fast in gardening.

It's very sad that the producers of this programme have taken the easy route but then what do we expect. The reason why I started, thehortchannel.tv, was a way of me demonstrating the support behind such a programme which gardeners have been calling - down-to-earth advice on the cheap - but even with 120,000 viewers of our TV series on Sky last year (without little publicity and fanfare) the standard respond still remains "gardening is not sexy".

What more can I do!?

[alldigging]

the standard respond still remains "gardening is not sexy".

What more can I do!?

Discover the new Nigella of the allotment.

[seanjamescameron]

The majority of people who now work in TV are aged 22 and some have very high roles so it's little wonder that the state of TV gardening is as bad as it is. You would think that with the current economic situation and the high price on food that a more positive programme couldn't be made.

I am aware of another production company who are currently putting together a "gardening and husbandry" programme - am digging for more information at the moment. If anyone is ever contacted by an TV company and want to run it past me then I'd be more than happy to check it out for them as to the true intensions of the company.

[zazen999]

They should just hire you Sean!

[seanjamescameron]

They should just hire you Sean!

I'll send you their details, you can protest them! haha

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

There is a gardening programme aimed at the amateur gardener - Beechgrove Garden. But is it shown in England/Wales/NI, not sure. But it has been going along since the mid 70s and I can remember watching with Jim and (the original) George (yes, I do feel old admitting that) Do I think Allotment Wars is appropriate, yes, but it has probably sensationalised the issues. Where things go badly wrong on allotments, they really go badly wrong. There is a thread on this forum about an arson attack on plots of Committee members. As long as this series is a one off then I think gardeners can accept there can be an ugly side to having an allotment.

[veggiechicken]

Don't think Beechgrove is shown in Wales.
When I saw the trailer of some chap getting uptight because someone had moved his wife's Flowerpot men and put them behind a drainpipe - I could only think that the programme was a sendup. It looked like something from a comedy show

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

VC, you are missing out on not having Beechgrove Gardens. Can you get it on iPlayer? So I guess no point watching Allotment Wars tonight - Flowerpot men

[veggiechicken]

Yes, FF, I know some of us watch it on iPlayer. I've seen bits of it. Have a look at the trailer for tonight's programme and see what you think. Its so unconvincing and the man is so lacking in vitality he should be stuck in the compost heap and left to rot down. It should be a comedy sketch

[Samurailord]

Discover the new Nigella of the allotment.

Are you putting yourself forwards?

Andy

[alldigging]

Are you putting yourself forwards?

Andy

Hmm I don't know if I could pull off that thing Nigella has .. Would it mean gardening in the dark in nightclothes? That always makes me laugh on her shows.

[Florence Fennel]

Don't think Beechgrove is shown in Wales.
When I saw the trailer of some chap getting uptight because someone had moved his wife's Flowerpot men and put them behind a drainpipe - I could only think that the programme was a sendup. It looked like something from a comedy show

It made me feel a little bit guilty VC. I once "kidnapped" some cuddly toys from the desk of a fluffy blonde secretary and hung them on a string outside her window What time is it on anyway? Might be ok for a laugh.

[veggiechicken]

On at 22.35 for 55 minutes!! Better make your cocoa ready Flo
I've done the kidnapping thing too The one I've never been allowed to forget was the Wallasey incident. Wallasey was a pink plastic bear about the size of your thumb and he was my brother's favourite toy - he took him everywhere. So I kidnapped Wallasey, tied a piece of cotton round his neck and hoisted him up on the clothes line. As my brother panicked, bawling "Where's Wallasey?" I dragged him to the door and showed him Wallasey, wafting from side to side from the clothes line.
"I want Wallasey" he howled, but, just as I lowered the clothes line, a great gust of wind caught Wallasey, snapped his tether and Wallasey blew away, never to be seen again.
My brother has never got over it