Builder Tommy Walsh rose to fame in the 80s as part of the Ground Force team, wowing television audiences as gardens were transformed by a team led by Tommy, Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock. More recently Tommy has been seen on BBC transforming homes and gardens in Clean It, Fix it.
The TV star looks completely different 30 years on from the start of his on-screen screen, now aged 66m after a cancer scare, a cancer diagnosis and a dramatic weight loss - reports MyLondon. Tommy gained prominence as one of the original presenters on the popular home improvement show Ground Force on the BBC from 1997 to 2005.
Since Ground Force, Tommy has continued to make television appearances, often as a presenter or expert on home improvement and DIY shows. He has also written books on DIY projects and provided advice and guidance to homeowners looking to undertake their own construction or renovation projects.
Tommy's friendly and approachable style has made him a familiar face. But during a cancer awareness campaign in 2022, Tommy became aware of his own cancer.
He said: "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!"
It wasn't Tommy's first cancer scare. In 2002, Tommy found lumps on his chest which he feared was breast cancer. He told the Express: "I’ve been in pretty good health all my life but after my sister’s and aunt’s problems I thought I would mention it in a visit to my GP.
“I remember taking a while to get an appointment and when I did go it was more of an afterthought that I’d mention it. However given the history of breast cancer in my family I was sent to the same consultant my sister had gone to.”
Test results showed that it was a benign tumour and it was removed in hospital. Tommy described the moment he fell out with Alan Titchmarsh on the set of Ground Force one day and how it led them to kiss and make up.
While sawing timber, Tommy accidentally covered the flowerbeds in sawdust. At the time, Alan told The Radio Times: "Call me picky if you like but I like my Ground Force gardens to be pristine when we finish them.
"I do not get a thrill from seeing them covered in dandruff."
Tommy added: "For a while, it did get a bit hairy. 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."
Tommy’s dramatic weight loss since his Ground Force days caught viewers' attention when he returned to screens earlier this year, as many were quick to point out how different the 66-year-old looked.
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."
Marie mostly stays out of the limelight but has made a few appearances with him at events.
