And they rule the airwaves, too!

BBC Radio 4 newsreader Kathy Clugston will become the first woman to chair Gardeners’ Question Time in the show’s 70-year history.

The 49-year- old will replace Eric Robson, 72, who is retiring from the show, which first aired in 1947.

Belfast-born Miss Clugston – better known to listeners as the Northern Irish voice of the Shipping Forecast – will take over on May 3.

She joked online that an ‘odd thing has happened’ after her new role was announced – and promised as an amateur gardener herself to encourage experts to keep it simple.

‘One of my jobs as host will be to make new listeners feel welcome,’ said Miss Clugston (pictured). ‘I’m a novice and won’t be shy about asking the panellists to spell things out if they get too technical.’

On her disbelief at bagging the role, she added: ‘ I have had a few pinch- me moments since I started at Radio 4, but this beats them all.’ Meanwhile, Mr Robson has given her the green thumbs-up, saying: ‘I’ve loved every minute of it, but I’m also delighted to be handing the trowel on to Kathy, someone I know will fit right in to the Gardeners’ Question Time family.’ His departure will be marked by a special show broadcast from Manchester on April 26.