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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Kyle O'Sullivan & Ryan Paton

BBC Garden Rescue Charlie Dimmock's Hollyoaks role, affair and Tsunami tragedy

Charlie Dimmock has been transforming homes on Garden Rescue since 2016.

The 55-year-old shot to fame as part of the original presenting line-up on Ground Force alongside Alan Titchmarsh and Tommy Walsh.

The programme ran from 1997 - 2005 and developed into a British institution that attracted audiences of over 12 million people at its peak, the Mirror Online reports.

READ MORE: Christine McGuinness supported as children overcome World Book Day milestone

During the height of her fame in 2002, Charlie even made an appearance on an episode of Hollyoaks as she was drafted in to unveil the Jubilee Gardens.

The chemistry between the Ground Force co-hosts was one of the reasons behind the show's success and Charlie said the presenters enjoyed a close relationship off-screen.

She told Hello! : "When we first started filming we were polite to each other for the first two series but by the third series we were like family.

"My main memory of Ground Force was laughing lots. It was the same team week in, week out, as well as the same production and crew. You know what it's like when you work with a team of people and you get on."

Charlie's time on the show was rocked by scandal as she split from long-term partner, John Mushet, after she had an affair with Ground Force microphone operator, Andy Simmons.

The TV presenter has since spoken out about the affair and said she has no regrets about what happened.

She told the Daily Mail: "I don't see Andy anymore, but I don't regret what happened.

"You wouldn't do anything if you kept worrying about what might go wrong.

"John and I had been together for a long time so when we split up I relied heavily on family and close friends.

"I've discovered that the most difficult after-effect of the break-up is getting into another relationship."

Charlie's personal life was hit with tragedy in 2004 when her mother, Sue Kennedy, and stepfather Rob tragically died in the 2004 tsunami while on the island of Phuket in Thailand.

Charlie did not speak about the incident at the time but her agent released a statement and said she was still coming to terms with the tragedy.

Her agent said: "It is very upsetting for her. It has been too soon for her to come to terms with it.

"She is coping day by day at the moment. We have promised her that we will protect her."

After Ground Force ended in 2005, Charlie embarked a varied career presenting shows such as The Joy of Gardening and Charlie's Garden Army as well as appearing on Celebrity Masterchef in 2006.

Charlie enjoyed a brief hiatus from TV roles, but has been presenting Garden Rescue for the past six years.

The popular show sees her compete with award winning garden designers, the Rich brothers, to create stunning gardens for people across the country.

Garden Rescue airs on Saturday at 3.45pm on BBC One

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