BBC Gardeners World & Good Food Show at the NEC: celebrities, events, tickets info & more

Step into summer with BBC Gardeners’ World Live and the Good Food Show at the NEC with a host of celebrity experts and delicious tips.

It’s the first time since 2019 that the two shows have come together to celebrate the best of the sunny season.

Birmingham’s NEC will host four fabulous days, packed with the latest garden ideas, plants, products and trends, alongside inspirational tips, advice, tasting opportunities and a whole host of famous faces from Thursday 16 – Sunday 19 June.

Here’s the lowdown on what to expect

BBC Gardeners’ World Live

BBC Gardeners’ World live is back and as big as ever for 2022. No matter the space you have available, the show offers plenty of inspiration; Discover the show’s sensational show gardens to get inspiration for your own garden, or explore the Beautiful Borders for ideas for compact spaces. And there’s a Pebble Mill inspired display - and Peaky Blinders one too!

Celebrities

Green-fingered royalty appearing at the show includes:

Monty Don,

Adam Frost,

Frances Tophill,

Joe Swift,

Arit Anderson,

Alan Titchmarsh

Show gardens

The huge variety of stunning show gardens includes:

Frances Tophill’s debut show garden and the show’s largest ever show garden,

‘A Nostalgic Experience’ - the show’s largest ever show garden - by The Garden Design Co. with Michael Wheat Group

What about the Floral Marquee?

BBC Gardeners’ World Live is proud to host one of the largest Floral Marquees in the country, home to a wonderful variety of award-winning nurseries and specialist growers, where you can immerse yourself in sweet scent of summer and get lost in the haven of flowers and plants. From orchids to lilies, dianthus to cacti, the Floral Marquee is the go-to destination for spectacular displays and seasonal inspiration for your garden.

As 2022 marks 100 years of the BBC a selection of displays in the Floral Marquee will be inspired by popular BBC programmes, from The Archers to Only Fools and Horses.

The Floral Marquee will also pay homage to the show’s roots in Birmingham with a Pebble Mill inspired display, which was personally designed by Peter Seabrook who passed away earlier this year, and Peaky Blinders-inspired feature designed by Alexandra Froggatt.

Any sustainable gardenening tips?

This year’s show will also shine a spotlight on sustainability, offering tips and inspiration which aim to make sustainable gardening accessible to all. Make a beeline for the Practically Plastic-Free Garden and Marshalls Sustainability Garden for simple ideas to grow your garden in a greener way.

What’s more, Frances Tophill’s debut Show Garden has recycling at its heart and will be peat-free, while the floral marquee will offer an all-new Pot Swap where selected exhibitors will exchange visitors’ plastic pots received with plants bought at the Show with more sustainable alternative, so the originals can be returned to the nurseries and reused.

Anything else at the Gardeners World Show?

Plus, drop in to the My Gardeners’ World Stage, Let’s Grow Your Own stage and BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Stage for talks and sessions, offering expertise and top tips, with exhibitors from the show and special guests including Frances Tophill and Adam Frost, among others. Additionally, book a seat in the BBC Gardeners’ World Live Theatre to see top experts in entertaining and informative talks.

Which celebrities will be at the BBC Good Food Show?

BBC Good Food Show Summer is returning with a star-studded line-up of the nation’s favourite chefs, including:

James Martin,

Dame Mary Berry,

John Torode and

Nadiya Hussain alongside

Michelin masters Tom Kerridge

Michel Roux, plus many more.

Alongside returning show favourites, this year’s BBC Good Food Show Summer will also welcome a new selection of foodie faces, including John Whaite, Jane’s Patisserie, Andi Oliver and Michelin-star chef Paul Ainsworth.

What else can I look forward to at the Good Food Show?

Browse, shop and taste your way around an amazing selection of hand-picked artisan producers and well-known brands. From the latest innovative kitchen gadgets to the freshest seasonal produce and exciting products, dive into a food lover’s paradise and discover new delicious flavours.

Why not add a trip to the Big Kitchen to your visit, where you can experience the very best celebrity chefs and experts cooking delicious dishes live on stage. New for 2022, discover the all-new masterclasses hosted by drinks expert and connoisseur Tom Surgey, for as little at £6.

Brand-new for this summer, the Italian Kitchen, hosted by Chris Bavin, offers the chance to be inspired by top chefs and experts including Gennaro Contaldo, Ravneet Gill, Chef Giovanni Santoro, Joe HurdandRuby Bhogal as they stir-up the very best Italian dishes and showcase new ways to make traditional dishes, giving guests plenty of tips and inspiration along the way.

Are there any shopping opportunities like previous years?

Both Shows are renowned for the exceptional shopping opportunities, with hundreds of exhibitors showcasing new and exciting products.

Whether you’re an avid gardener who wants to look at the award-winning Show Gardens, Beautiful Borders and the Floral Marquee, to pick up new tips and garden ideas, or perhaps you’re a keen foodie ready to discover new and exciting flavours, one ticket will once again give you entry to both Shows, so you can wander freely all day!

Adam Frost, who will be sharing tips and advice in the BBC Gardeners’ World Live Theatre on Saturday and Sunday at the Show, said: “Gardeners’ World Live is a great event for the gardening community to come together and celebrate what we love with beautiful displays and a jam-packed event. The show is also perfect for anybody looking for exciting garden inspiration to try at home – I’ll see you there!”

Tom Kerridge, who will be cooking in the Big Kitchen sessions on Thursday, said: “There aren’t many events that compare to the BBC Good Food Show Summer – filled with live entertainment, cooking inspiration, shopping and tasting, it really is the ultimate summer day out for food lovers. I’m excited to return to the show and share my top tips and tricks with this year’s visitors.”

How do I get tickets?

For more information and to book tickets to BBC Gardeners’ World Live and BBC Good Food Show Summer, please visit www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com or www.bbcgoodfoodshow.com

A message from the editor:Thank you for reading. BirminghamWorld is Birmingham’s latest news website, championing everything that is great about our city - reporting on news, lifestyle and sport. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going.