Ground Force presenter Tommy Walsh dies aged 69 "surrounded by family"
Ground Force presenter Tommy Walsh has died following a “long illness”, his agent has confirmed.
The broadcaster, 69, was best known for fronting the BBC garden makeover show from 1997 to 2005.
Walsh’s agent, Debbie Schiesser, told the Press Association: “Tommy died peacefully after a long illness surrounded by his family. As this has only just happened, we would ask everyone to please respect the family’s privacy.”
Walsh, from Hackney, London, presented Ground Force alongside Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock.
At its peak, the series attracted 12 million viewers.
Walsh, a builder by trade, went on to other home improvement shows including Homes Under The Hammer and Clean It, Fix It.
He was also a contestant on weight loss show Celebrity Fit Club, and appeared on Lily Savage’s Blankety Blank and quiz show Pointless.
Speaking at an event for The Swallows Head & Neck Cancer charity posted online in early 2024, Walsh said doctors had discovered a “three-centimetre tumour in the lung” and revealed he had an emergency appointment for a CT scan the next day.
Walsh was also diagnosed with throat cancer in 2022 after a doctor found a lump during a GP appointment and made a full recovery.
He also found two lumps on his chest in 2002. Although they were benign, the experience prompted him to raise awareness of breast cancer in men.
Walsh ran his own property business before his television career.
One of his clients was a TV producer who invited him to a screen test, kickstarting his career in front of the camera.
He was married to his wife Marie and was a father to three children: Charlotte, Natalie and Jonjo.