English television and radio presenter
Marian Foster
(born 19 March 1948 in
Newcastle upon Tyne
) is an English television and radio presenter. She is best known for presenting
BBC One
's
Pebble Mill at One
from 1972 to 1986 and Garden Mania on
BBC Radio Newcastle
and
BBC Radio Tees
.
[1]
Life
[
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]
Foster was educated at
Dame Allan's School, Newcastle upon Tyne
.
[2]
Her father was a Tyneside sailor, in which she learned how to steer a huge cargo boat before she could drive. At Newcastle University, she was the president of the
Gilbert and Sullivan
society; she studied geography then completed a Diploma of Education, training at
Heaton High School
. Whilst in her last year at university, she worked with Bob Langley at
Tyne Tees Television
. More recently, when Foster was in her 60s, she completed a Diploma in Horticulture, after she was inspired to learn more through presenting her gardening programme Garden Mania.
[3]
She was trained as a music teacher and sang with the
London Symphony Chorus
.
[4]
Career
[
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]
Foster is most famous for presenting the
BBC1
afternoon chat show
Pebble Mill at One
for fourteen years, from 1972 to 1986 alongside
Bob Langley
and
Donny MacLeod
. During her time on the programme, she interviewed many celebrities, introduced various different segments and even had a rose named after her called ‘The Marian Foster Rose’. She was voted viewers’ favourite while on the chat show. In 1981, she met Queen
Elizabeth II
at the Pebble Mill studios in Birmingham. In the 1960s, she was one of
ITV
's first women reporters and a weather girl. She was also a host on the
BBC2
car show
Top Gear
.
[1]
Later on television she fronted gardening reports for
Look North
.
[5]
She worked in
Ethiopia
filming the results of
Live Aid
.
Foster has degrees in Geography and Education, previously working as a Geography teacher in both Newcastle and London.
On radio she has presented music programmes on
BBC Radio 2
and ‘Woman’s Hour’ for
BBC Radio 4
. She produced the documentary series ‘The Task Of Mankind’ for
BBC Two
and also worked for
BBC One
and
BBC Two
. She was also a science reporter for various public broadcasting stations across America. She is currently a presenter on
BBC Radio Newcastle
, hosting the weekly
gardening
show Garden Mania on Sunday mornings for over 20 years. She has presented programmes from
RHS Chelsea Flower Show
and worked alongside
Alan Titchmarsh
. Her co-presenter includes Gardening Expert John Guy. Previous co-hosts alongside Foster on the programme included former Gardening Experts Stan Timmins and Eddie Wardrobe.
[5]
[6]
[7]
As of November 2023, the show also broadcasts on
BBC Radio Tees
. Foster often gives advice and talks at flower shows, events and school across the
North East of England.
[8]
In 2017, Foster appeared on Peter Seabrook’s podcast ‘This Week In The Garden’.
[9]
Foster is often a compare and judge for Northumbria In Bloom. Foster is the former President of the North of England Horticultural Society.
[10]
Awards
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]
During her time on
Pebble Mill at One
, Foster had a rose named after her called ‘The Marian Foster Rose’. In 2017, Foster won a Garden Media Guild Award for her
BBC Radio Newcastle
broadcast documentary on English landscape gardener
Capability Brown
.
[11]
References
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]