Tommy Walsh may have been regarded as a Ground Force legend, but life has not always been a piece of cake for the gardening expert. The 66-year-old became known amongst viewers alongside Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock as the trio got to work making over unsuspecting homeowner's gardens.
London-born Tommy became a builder after leaving school, but didn't come to the public's attention until Ground Force began airing in 1997, when he was around 40 years old. He was responsible for hard landscaping on the show before it was cancelled by the BBC in 2005.
The celebrity builder may have brought joy to countless homeowners and Ground Force viewers up and down the country, but things weren't always the happiest behind the scenes. The dad-of-three fell out with his co-star Alan, 74, on set, and has suffered more than one cancer scare, reports YorkshireLive.
Read more: Garden Rescue: Charlie Dimmock puts couple at a loss for words after £5k garden transformation
Tommy's brushes with cancer
In 2022, Tommy became aware of an unusual lump during a cancer awareness campaign. "I went to my GP about an unrelated issue and while I was there, he discovered this lump in my throat that he was a bit concerned about," he said.
"He said it may be nothing but that he would rather I went and got it checked and, unfortunately, it turned out to be cancerous. I had to go in straight away and have surgery to remove it."
Thankfully, Tommy says he is now "fully recovered" and "even back playing football". But this was not his first brush with cancer.
Twenty years before the lump in his throat was discovered, Tommy found lumps on his chest, and was worried that he had breast cancer. Despite popular belief, breast cancer can be found in men, too, with around 370 men diagnosed every year in the UK.
"I’ve been in pretty good health all my life but after my sister’s and aunt’s problems I thought I would mention it in a visit to my GP," he told The Express. "I remember taking a while to get an appointment and when I did go it was more of an afterthought that I’d mention it."
Due to the history of breast cancer in his family, Tommy was sent to the same consultant his sister went to. Thankfully, test results showed that the tumour in his chest was benign, and it was removed at hospital.
Literally kissing and making up with Alan after falling out
Tommy clashed with co-star Alan whilst filming an episode of Ground Force. Whilst sawing timber, Tommy accidentally covered the flowerbeds in sawdust, infuriating Alan.
"Call me picky if you like but I like my Ground Force gardens to be pristine when we finish them," Alan told RadioTimes. "I do not get a thrill from seeing them covered in dandruff."
The pair were unhappy with each other for a little while, before they eventually pushed their negative feelings to the side. "For a while, it did get a bit hairy. But when we'd both calmed down we actually kissed (yes) and made up," Tommy reflected.
"What made me cross was that I was working flat out to get everything ready and here was Alan moaning about a bit of stray sawdust."
The pair got over the incident and, despite their paths going in different directions, Alan and Tommy remain friends to this day.
Tommy's weight loss
It seemed that Tommy’s dramatic weight loss since his Ground Force days caught viewers' attention when he returned to our screens to take part in quiz show Pointless earlier this year, as many were quick to point out how different the 66-year-old looked. He looked a far cry from his former self, impressing fans with his slim appearance in a burgundy long-sleeved polo shirt, with his silver hair slicked back.
Is Tommy Walsh married and does he have kids?
Tommy Walsh is a dad of three and is married to Marie Walsh. The two have an extremely long and stable relationship. They met in their 20s and have stayed together since.
He previously told the Express: "Before my big TV break when I was 40, I led a very normal life. After I left school, I worked for my dad for a couple of years, before starting off on my own.
"I met my wife-to-be, Marie, when I was 20 and fell in love. By the time I was in my thirties, I was in great demand as a builder."
Marie mostly stays out of the limelight but has made a few appearances with him at events.
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