Meet the judges of Netflix's The Big Flower Fight
Are we looking at the new Mary Berry?
The Big Flower Fight is the show that hopes to do for garden sculptures what Bake Off did for cakes. Vic Reeves and Natasia Demetriou host as 10 teams of two compete to create the most impressive, outlandish and beautiful flower sculpture based on different themes all from a gorgeous countryside location.
It sounds a little mad at first, but did you ever think you'd get obsessed with soggy bottoms and buttery biscuit bases? We thought not.
It wouldn't be a good TV competition without judges though. Like them or loathe them, there's no point watching contestants go to all that effort if there isn't a Simon Cowell or a Paul Hollywood to win over at the end.
So who will be making the crucial decisions in the greenhouse?
Each week, two judges will decide which team should be named 'Best in Bloom' and which unlucky duo should be eliminated from the competition. One of them will be resident judge, gardener and florist to the stars, Kristen Griffith VanderYacht, and the other will be a guest judge - a different gardening expert every week.
Who is Kristen Griffith VanderYacht?
Behind that incredibly fancy name is a floral whizzkid who works for celebrity clients. His career began in New York, where he set up his own studio called Wild Bloom, named by Harpers Bazaar as the top wedding florist in the world in both 2019 and 2020. While he is a big name in his industry, this is his first major television project. He was approached by Netflix via Instagram and interviewed for the job in a Starbucks car park!
On being the lead judge in The Big Flower Fight he says: "My mission is to help flowers finally get the respect they deserve. This isn't your basic bunch of blooms. This is the real deal. So buckle up and get your shovel ready for some farm fresh floral fantasy realness!"
He also promises he won't be sugar coating any of his critiques, but isn't planning any unnecessary nastiness either. "I’m a very honest judge but I like to think that I’m encouraging, I’m not here to tear anyone down. I know that the creative energy they are putting into their creations is immense," he tells us. "At the same time, I believe in them, and if I can see that they’re coasting through, then what’s the point? I don’t want you to come to this competition and show me something you’ve already done.
"I’m definitely my own person. I haven’t seen anyone on TV like me: a black, gay man with a baby who he adopted with his husband. I’ve had such an interesting journey and I want to bring all those experiences, and that authenticity, to my role as a judge. And I really want to inspire young people to live their lives with passion and chase their dreams. In order to do that, you have to take your craft seriously. But you can have a little cheek and fun along the way!"
Who are the other judges?
Kristen's co-judges are all people who are well-respected in the world of horticultural design - bonafide experts rather than celebrities. The list includes Simon Lycett, James Wong, James Alexander-Sinclair, Sarah Eberle, Humaira Ikram and Sophie Walker.
The Big Flower Fight begins on Netflix on Monday 18th May. To see what else is on, check out our TV Guide.
