Gloria Hunniford To Open Southport Flower Show

Southport Flower Show is delighted to announce that Gloria Hunniford, one of the nation’s best loved television and radio presenters, will officially open this year’s Show on Thursday 16th August 2007.

Gloria, who is currently hosting Sunday morning’s Heaven and Earth Show on BBC1, is looking forward to visiting the UK’s largest independent Flower Show.

“I have always had a passion for flowers and gardens and it’s wonderful that Southport Flower Show has established a reputation as being the Flower Show for families, something I whole-heartedly endorse,” said Gloria.

She added: “I am looking forward to seeing the magnificent designer gardens as well as meeting visitors to the Show. I am sure that I will come away with lots of inspirational ideas for my home as well as plants and flowers for the garden.”

The theme for this year’ Show is music and whilst Gloria is best known for her TV and radio work, she started her career as a singer. She began singing at the age of nine in Northern Ireland and subsequently starred on the three television networks there with a couple of records to her credit. In 1969, broadcasting became her top priority. She left her native Ireland in 1982 to become the first woman to have her own daily radio show on BBC Radio 2, which she presented continuously for 13 years until May 1995.

She has recently hosted Gloria’s Greats for the Biography Channel where she was seen interviewing showbiz chums, Sir Cliff Richard, Richard and Judy, Barbara Windsor and Cilla Black. She hosted her own popular health slot, Gloria's Health for This Morning which she also regularly co-hosted with Michael Ball and very soon to be seen on another popular BBC daytime show. So it is fitting that someone with a background in music and lifestyle programmes, coupled with a love of gardens, will be the guest of honour at this year’s four day Show.

Southport Flower Show, a registered charity, is set in 34 acres of the beautiful Victoria Park and is surprisingly larger than Chelsea’s annual horticultural event. This year, for the first time ever, the management team is launching a new marquee dedicated entirely to children. Kids Kr8 will inspire and educate children to embrace nature and healthy outdoor living, all set within in a fun environment. It will be packed with activities relating to gardens and flowers with a particular focus on creativity. There will be opportunities for children to plant their own flowers and take them home, to design gardens in a shoebox as well as paint pots, take part in arts and crafts sessions and the chance to win all sorts of prizes in various competitions.

Gloria Hunniford's engagement is in assosciation with www.showbizwork.com

Southport Flower Show runs from 16th until 19th August 2007 inclusive. Tickets are £13 for adults (advance only to be used on any one day) or £16 on the gate. Children under 16 are admitted free when accompanied by a full paying adult. Four day flexible tickets allowing access every day to the Show are £30 in advance or £32 on the gate. Telephone Ticketmaster on 0870 44 44 226 or log on to www.southportflowershow.co.uk for more information.