Tommy Walsh dies aged 69
The former Ground Force presenter, born 18 December 1956 in Hackney, had publicly fought several cancers and leaves a wife and three children.
Tommy Walsh, the British television presenter and builder known for his work on home and garden programmes, has died aged 69 after a long illness, his agent Debi Shiser said. Shiser said he died peacefully surrounded by his closest family, who asked for privacy.
The first public notice of his death came from amateur east London football club Old Parmiterians FC, for whom Walsh had long played as a goalkeeper with enthusiasm.
From builder to television audience of 12 million
Walsh was born on 18 December 1956 in Hackney, London. Before becoming a familiar face on TV he ran his own construction business for many years; his move into television began unexpectedly after he was invited to audition while working on the property of a television producer.
He rose to national prominence as one of the faces of the BBC garden makeover show Ground Force, which he co-presented from 1997 to 2005 alongside Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock. On Ground Force Walsh led the toughest build elements — decking, walls and water features — and at its peak the programme attracted up to 12 million viewers.
He later worked on a number of other renovation and home-focused shows including Homes Under The Hammer, Clean It, Fix It, Challenge Tommy Walsh and Flip That House, and authored several practical DIY books.
Walsh was open about his health battles. In 2002 growths removed from his chest were benign and he noted a family history of breast cancer. About twenty years later a medical check led to a diagnosis of throat cancer; he underwent surgery and was reported to have fully recovered.
In November 2023, during a routine review prompted by a chest infection, doctors found a three-centimetre tumour on his lungs. The following year he said the tumour had reduced after targeted radiotherapy and that he felt better. An official statement only said he died after "a long illness" and did not specify an immediate cause or explicitly link the death to the earlier cancers.
Walsh is survived by his wife Mary and their three children, Charlotte, Natalie and Jonjo. He leaves an enduring mark on British television and the many viewers who followed his practical, hands-on approach to building and home improvement.
Photo: press material from the event
