Ground Force presenter Tommy Walsh dies aged 69 after long illness

A death confirmed by his agent

Tommy Walsh, the former Ground Force presenter, has died aged 69 after a long illness, his agent Debbie Schiesser confirmed on 9 November 2026. Walsh lived in Hackney, east London, with his wife Marie and their three children. Schiesser said in a statement given to the Evening Standard that he died peacefully, and she asked the public to respect the family's privacy because the death had only just happened.

“Tommy died peacefully after a long illness surrounded by his family.”

From property business to the BBC

Before he found fame on screen, Walsh ran his own property business. One of his clients, a TV producer, invited him to a screen test, which launched his career in front of the camera. He became a fixture of Ground Force, the BBC garden makeover programme, which he presented for eight years from 1997 to 2005 alongside Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock. At the height of its popularity the show drew an audience of 12 million, according to the Independent. Walsh went on to present Homes Under the Hammer and to appear on Clean It, Fix It, Lily Savage's Blankety Blank and the quiz show Pointless. He also took a stint as a contestant on the weight loss show Celebrity Fit Club.

Cancer and treatment

Walsh had previously spoken openly about his health, and the Evening Standard reported that he had been treated for breast, throat and lung cancer. The Independent reported that he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2022, after a doctor found a lump during a GP appointment, and that he went on to make a full recovery. In June 2024 he revealed that the cancer had returned near his lung and said it had come back earlier that year. Speaking at the time, he described the treatment he had received.

“I had to have this new treatment called SABR, which is targeted radiotherapy.”

He said the radiotherapy had reduced the tumour and that the treatment had worked well for him. He remained optimistic about his treatment at that point.

Tributes from his former club

Tributes poured in after the announcement of his death, according to the Evening Standard. Old Parmiterians, the non-league football club for which Walsh played in goal for many years, paid tribute in a statement on X. The club described him as a former pupil who built a career as a TV personality.

“A Parmiters boy, he played for the club for many years in goal but made a great career as a TV personality in shows such as Ground Force.”

The club closed its statement by saying he would be sorely missed.