Tommy Walsh death: Ground Force presenter dies after 'long illness' aged 69

Greg Evans Mon, November 9, 2026 at 3:34 PM UTC

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Ground Force presenter Tommy Walsh has died at the age of 69 following a “long illness”, his agent has confirmed.

The builder-turned-broadcaster fronted the BBC garden makeover programme for eight years, from 1997 to 2005.

At the height of its popularity, Ground Force drew an audience of 12 million.

Walsh, who came from Hackney in London, presented the show alongside Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock.

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.”

Away from Ground Force, Walsh appeared on a string of other home improvement programmes, including Homes Under The Hammer and Clean It, Fix It.

His television credits also included a stint as a contestant on the weight loss show Celebrity Fit Club.

Walsh at The Chelsea Flower Show in 2014 (Getty)

He appeared on Lily Savage’s Blankety Blank and on the quiz show Pointless.

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Walsh had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2022, after a doctor found a lump during a GP appointment.

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.

Tommy Walsh in his heyday alongside Charlie Dimmock and Alan Titchmarsh on ‘Ground Force’ (BBC)

Paying tribute on X, non-league football team Old Parmiterians, who Walsh once played for wrote: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tommy Walsh. A Parmiters boy he played for the club for many years in goal but made a great career as a TV personality in shows such as Ground Force. He will be sorely missed. RIP Tommy”

Before he found fame on screen, Walsh ran his own property business.

One of his clients was a TV producer who invited him to a screen test, which kick-started 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.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”