Summary
Tommy Walsh (born 18 December 1956), is an English television personality, presenter and celebrity builder best known for the gardening and do-it-yourself television shows Ground Force (1997–2005) and Challenge Tommy Walsh.
Tommy Walsh | |
|---|---|
 Walsh in 2004 | |
| Born | 18 December 1956 |
| Occupation(s) | Broadcaster, gardener, builder |
| Spouse | Marie Walsh |
| Children | 3 |
Biography edit
Educated at Parmiter's School, then a grammar school in Bethnal Green, Walsh became a builder and first came to public attention after appearing in the BBC television gardening programme Ground Force with Alan Titchmarsh, responsible for the hard landscaping. He stayed with the show for the rest of its run, from 1997 to 2005.
Walsh had a small acting role in the film One.[1] He has also appeared on Lily Savage's Blankety Blank.[2]
In 2023 he was a contestant on BBC's quiz show Pointless.[3]
Personal life edit
Walsh lives in South Hackney, with his wife Marie and three children.[4] In addition to his television work, he runs his own building business and writes books on do-it-yourself and garden improvement. He also has his own DIY brand that is sold in Poundland shops in the UK.
He is patron of the Stairway to Heaven Memorial Trust,[5] and is the subject of the song "Tommy Walsh's Eco House" on the 2011 album 90 Bisodol (Crimond) by the band Half Man Half Biscuit.
In 2002 Walsh had a benign tumour removed from his chest. In 2022 he was diagnosed with throat cancer, underwent surgery and fully recovered. [3]
Television work edit
Walsh has presented several Television shows, including:
- Challenge Tommy Walsh (with Alan Herd)
- Space Invaders
- Tommy Walsh's Eco House (2010)
- Trading Places
- Tommy's Ultimate Workshop
- Tommy's DIY Survival
- The Reclaimers
- Ground Force (1997-2005)
- Our House
- Fix Your House For Free
- Celebrity Fit Club
- Flip That House with Tommy Walsh
- My Life as a DIY Nutter (Channel 5)
- Cowboys & Angels (BBC)
- Me and my son Greg (2017)
- Homes Under the Hammer (2021-2024)
- Clean It, Fix It[6]
Publications edit
- Ground Force: Practical Garden Projects (2000), BBC Books
- Ground Force: Garden Handbook (2001), BBC Books - with Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock
- Tommy Walsh's DIY Guide (2001), Focus Multimedia Ltd - CD-ROM
- Basic DIY (2002), Collins
- DIY Survival (2002), Collins
- Bathroom DIY (2004), Collins
- Kitchen DIY (2004), Collins
- Living Spaces DIY (2004), Collins
- Outdoor DIY (2004), Collins
References edit
- ^ Chamberlain, Zoe (2004) "Ground Force Tommy Lands Killer Film Role", Sunday Mercury, 31 October 2004
- ^ "Series 1, Episode 6". Lily Savage's Blankety Blank. 11 February 2016. ITV. Repeated 24 August 2016 on Challenge TV.
- ^ a b https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/tv/tommy-walsh-cancer-diagnosis-weight-27219431
- ^ Anstead, Mark (2010) "Tommy Walsh: 'I borrowed from friends to save my father from repossession'", Daily Telegraph, 14 May 2010, retrieved 2010-08-27
- ^ www.stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org
- ^ "Clean It, Fix It". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
External links edit
- UKTV Gardens profile
- Interview on 'Love food, hate waste'