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| Gardening presenter Cushnie dies | Gardening presenter Cushnie dies |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Broadcaster John Cushnie, a regular panellist on Gardeners' Question Time, has died following a heart attack. | Broadcaster John Cushnie, a regular panellist on Gardeners' Question Time, has died following a heart attack. |
| An experienced landscape gardener, who ran his own business, he featured on the BBC Radio 4 show for some 15 years. | An experienced landscape gardener, who ran his own business, he featured on the BBC Radio 4 show for some 15 years. |
| Cushnie, who was believed to be in his late sixties, also frequently featured on BBC Radio 2 and Radio Ulster. | Cushnie, who was believed to be in his late sixties, also frequently featured on BBC Radio 2 and Radio Ulster. |
| BBC Radio 4 controller Mark Damazer called him "a brilliantly knowledgeable panellist" who "laced every programme with warmth and joy". | BBC Radio 4 controller Mark Damazer called him "a brilliantly knowledgeable panellist" who "laced every programme with warmth and joy". |
| "John Cushnie was a towering figure on Gardeners' Question Time," said Mr Damazer. | "John Cushnie was a towering figure on Gardeners' Question Time," said Mr Damazer. |
| "His trademark acerbic wit was deployed with terrific timing against a wide variety of plants he did not like - and it was always done with an affectionate twinkle in his eye, with an exuberance of voice and with unrelenting sympathy for fellow gardeners." | "His trademark acerbic wit was deployed with terrific timing against a wide variety of plants he did not like - and it was always done with an affectionate twinkle in his eye, with an exuberance of voice and with unrelenting sympathy for fellow gardeners." |
| Cushnie featured on Gardeners' Question Time earlier this week | |
| Cushnie, who gave frequent talks on gardening across Northern Ireland and Britain, also published a book, Ground Cover. | Cushnie, who gave frequent talks on gardening across Northern Ireland and Britain, also published a book, Ground Cover. |
| His profile was boosted by recent appearances as the Hedge Man on Radio 2's Chris Evans Show, and presenting Greenmount Garden for BBC One in Northern Ireland. | His profile was boosted by recent appearances as the Hedge Man on Radio 2's Chris Evans Show, and presenting Greenmount Garden for BBC One in Northern Ireland. |
| Previous television appearances included BBC One's Room With A View and Irish broadcaster RTE's Greenfingers. | |
| A regular columnist for the Daily Telegraph's Saturday gardening supplement, he also contributed to a string of specialist publications including Gardens Illustrated and Gardeners' World magazines. | |
| But he claimed his "real passion" was focused on his landscape gardening business, near his home in County Down. |