BBC star Tommy Walsh's life off-screen from cancer battle to feud (2024)

TV presenter Tommy Walsh has been a familiar face on our television screens for decades following his TV debut on Ground Force. Alongside Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock, he amazed viewers with garden transformations across the nation on the BBC series.

His television portfolio also includes home and garden makeovers in Clean It, Fix It, presenting auction homes on Homes Under the Hammer, and Flip That House with Tommy Walsh.

Now at 67, the TV star looks entirely different more than 25 years after the start of his television career due to a cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment. However, he continues to grace our screens with his infectious smile and playful banter with guests.

Here's a look into the life of TV star Tommy Walsh, his breakthrough in television, health scares, and family time.

Early career and TV breakthrough

BBC star Tommy Walsh's life off-screen from cancer battle to feud (1)

Born and bred in South Hackney, Walsh was educated at Parmiter's School before entering the building trade.

His big break came when he was working as a builder at an executive producer's house, which led to him landing a role on Ground Force on the BBC.

Walsh was responsible for the hard landscaping of various gardening projects, but it was his larger-than-life personality and grounded humour that made him a hit with audiences.

He remained with the show throughout its run, from 1997 to 2005. The series was a massive success for the BBC, attracting a peak audience of 12 million viewers.

Tommy Walsh's expertise in hard landscaping and building led him to present the show Challenge Tommy Walsh, as well as Fix It Yourself for Discovery Real Time and Fix Your House for Free?

In 2021, Tommy Walsh became a part of the Homes Under The Hammer team, showcasing auction properties in need of renovation and care.

Feud with Alan Titchmarsh

BBC star Tommy Walsh's life off-screen from cancer battle to feud (2)

Tommy Walsh formed a key trio on Ground Force with Charlie Dimmick and host Alan Titchmarsh.

Dedicated fans will remember a particularly heated exchange between mild-mannered Alan and Tommy during an episode filmed in Essex in 2000. Builder Tommy accidentally covered a set of flower beds in sawdust leaving Alan fuming.

"Call me picky if you like but I like my Ground Force gardens to be pristine when we finish them," Alan said at the time, "I do not get a thrill from seeing them covered in dandruff." While the pair did manage to put the incident to one side, it did get a bit tense for a bit as they were both left reeling, while Charlie turned a blind eye and concentrated on a water feature.

"For a while, it did get a bit hairy," said Tommy. "But when we'd both calmed down we actually kissed (yes) and made up. 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."

But they quickly put the incident to one side and remain friends to this day despite going off in their own separate directions.

Alan has since gone on to star on a long list of other TV shows including Britain's Best Back Gardens, Secrets of the National Trust, The Alan Titchmarsh Show, and Gardeners' World.

Tommy Walsh's battle with cancer

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TV favourite Tommy Walsh has opened up about his cancer journey, revealing that he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2022 and had to undergo immediate surgery to remove the tumour.

In a cancer awareness campaign for NHS England in March 2022, he shared: "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 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. I am now fully recovered and even back playing football! ".

Tommy also urged others to take action if they feel something's not right, saying: "If something in your body doesn't feel right contact your GP practice and book an appointment. Whatever the result, the NHS is here to help."

In early 2024, Tommy disclosed that he was undergoing advanced NHS treatment after doctors found cancer beneath his lung. He explained: "My cancer came back earlier this year....they found it again under the lung."

"So I had to have this new treatment called SABR and what it is, is radiotherapy, which targets it to an exact spot without damaging the organs around it. So they used that and it shrunk."

He expressed optimism, stating: "It is now not anywhere else. It is going away. Because it is shrinking, it will shrink down to nothing and disappear."

"I will then just have to have annual checks. It has worked for me really well."

The cancer treatment and various lifestyle changes saw Tommy lose weight and look much different from his time on Ground Force.

Tommy also reflected on a past health scare in 2002 when he found two lumps in his chest. With a family history of breast cancer, namely with his sister and auntie, Tommy didn't take any chances and promptly sought medical attention.

Fortunately, after undergoing surgery under general anaesthesia, Tommy was relieved to discover that the lumps were benign (non-cancerous). Since then, he has been raising awareness about breast cancer among men.

Is Tommy Walsh married and does he have children?

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Tommy Walsh is happily married to Marie Walsh, and together they have three beautiful children. The Walsh family resides in South Hackney.

The pair first met in their 20s and have stayed an extremely long and stable relationship. 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."

Despite shying away from the spotlight, Marie occasionally joins her husband at public events. Their daughter Natalie Walsh was the victim of an attack after Leanne Bloomfield used to shard of glass to slash her upwards from her neck to her chin at Cafe De Paris near Leicester Square in central London in 2013.

A jury found her guilty of wounding with intent following a four-day trial at Southwark Crown Court in 2014. The ordeal saw Natalie undergo plastic surgery and therapy following the attack and her parents attended the court hearing.

Tommy also prides himself on his independent building business.

BBC star Tommy Walsh's life off-screen from cancer battle to feud (2024)
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