# Tommy Walsh, Ground Force co-presenter, dies aged 69

> The builder and TV expert who appeared on BBC's Ground Force and other shows has died after a long illness.
- Title: Tommy Walsh, Ground Force co-presenter, dies aged 69
- Summary: The builder and TV expert who appeared on BBC's Ground Force and other shows has died after a long illness.
- Keywords: tommy walsh, ground force, bbc, alan titchmarsh, charlie dimmock, television presenter, builder, the Guardian
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/nov/09/tommy-walsh-co-presenter-of-bbcs-ground-force-dies-aged-69
- Published: 2026-11-09T19:59:36+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: tommy walsh, ground force, bbc, alan titchmarsh, charlie dimmock, television presenter, builder, news, world
## Ground Force star dies after long illness
Tommy Walsh, the building and DIY expert who co-presented BBC's Ground Force from 1997 to 2005, has died aged 69. His agent Debbie Schiesser said he died peacefully surrounded by his family.

> Tommy died peacefully after a long illness surrounded by his family.
## From builder to television breakthrough
Walsh, from Hackney in east London, ran his own property business before television.He got his big break after restoring a BBC producer's house.
## He turned it down three times
Walsh initially rejected the chance to star on Ground Force. He changed his mind after his eight-year-old daughter told him she had made a ten pound bet with a boy at school that her dad…
## Ground Force reached 12 million viewers
At its peak, Ground Force attracted 12 million viewers. In one episode, the team was flown to South Africa to work in secret on Nelson Mandela's garden, building a pergola and water feature.
## Key takeaway

Tommy Walsh, co-presenter of BBC's Ground Force from 1997 to 2005, has died aged 69 after a long illness.