Did Waitrose deal kill off Alan Titchmarsh's Chelsea Flower Show job? The BBC announced Gardeners' World presenter Monty Don and newsreader Sophie Raworth will replace Alan Titchmarsh after 30 years Six months ago the presenter was criticised for presenting the corporation's coverage while also being a face of the supermarket chain, a show sponsor BBC said Titchmarsh decided to 'step away' due to planned changes Gardening guru wished the new team 'every success' for 2014 Alan Titchmarsh has been dropped as the face of the BBC's coverage of The Chelsea Flower Show. The announcement comes six months after criticism of his hosting while also being being a face of Waitrose, one of the show's sponsors For 30 years, he has helped educate green-fingered enthusiasts on everything from their Orchids to their Azaleas. But the BBC yesterday announced that Alan Titchmarsh will no longer present their coverage of the Chelsea Flower Show - just six months after the star became embroiled in a sponsorship row. The 64-year-old is being replaced by Gardeners" World host Monty Don and newsreader Sophie Raworth - who unlike the majority of Chelsea presenters is not a gardening expert - as part of a revamp of the corporation's coverage. Titchmarsh has presented the long-running event, which has become a horticultural highlight with viewers, since 1983. However, the BBC came under fire in May this year after it emerged he had been allowed to front the coverage on BBC1 and BBC2 while also being the face of Waitrose, a sponsor at the event. The supermarket's exhibit of UK produce - featuring fruit, vegetables, flowers and plants on sale in its stores - won a gold medal at the event this year. Titchmarsh has a lucrative deal to promote the supermarket chain's gardening range. Last year the BBC banned three presenters - Joe Swift, Chris Beardshaw and Andy Sturgeon - who had all designed Chelsea gardens, from covering the event because of "conflict of interest" concerns. Swift was dropped from the main evening programme after he designed a show garden for DIY chain Homebase, while Beardshaw and Sturgeon were not allowed on screen until the winners of their category had been announced. Diarmuid Gavin was dropped by the BBC from its 2006 Chelsea coverage after appearing in a commercial for compost company Westland. And in 1976, Percy Thrower was axed by the BBC from his job presenting Gardener's World for appearing in an ICI weedkiller advert. After Titchmarsh was allowed to continue in his role, critics claimed that the corporation had one rule for its best-known presenters and another for lesser lights. Gardeners' World host Monty Don, left, and newsreader Sophie Raworth, right, will front the corporation's coverage of the popular flower show in 2014 The Chelsea Flower Show had been Titchmarsh's last major commitment for the BBC, and his departure effectively ends a lengthy association. A BBC spokeswoman said: "The way the Chelsea coverage will be presented across the BBC has changed for 2014, and Alan decided to step away from next year's show." Titchmarsh said: "I really enjoyed my 30 years of presenting Chelsea Flower Show coverage for the BBC and wish the new team every success." I really enjoyed my 30 years of presenting Chelsea Flower Show coverage for the BBC and wish the new team every success Alan Titchmarsh The presenter, who began his broadcasting career as a horticulture expert on Nationwide, left his role as anchor of BBC2"s Gardeners" World in 2002, which had been filmed in his own garden. Between 1997 and 2002 he hosed BBC programme Ground Force, which at its peak pulled in 12 million viewers. But he has increasingly turned his attentions away from the BBC and now has an afternoon ITV chat show and hosts a series on Classic FM. Miss Raworth said: "I am delighted and honoured to be a part of the Chelsea 2014 team. I grew up in a family of very keen gardeners so know something about the joys and sheer hard work that go in to creating such beautiful places. Titchmarsh has proved hugely popular with viewers and in in 2007 he was named as one of the 100 greatest sex symbols in a TV poll. His Madame Tussauds waxwork was once revealed to be "one of the most fondled," and apparently gets kissed so often that lipstick has to be washed from the face of the waxwork twice a week.