29 June 2023 , 09:27
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Tommy Walsh was a fan favourite when he appeared on Ground Force with Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock.
He got his big break on Ground Force in 1997 after sorting out a producer's pond and became one of TV's most well-known faces.
The gardening experts provided excellent entertainment with their incredible garden makeovers but their behind-the-scenes relationships were a little different.
While things were going well with his career, his private life came with hurdles as he discovered he had cancer.
The star previously opened up about his breast cancer diagnosis as well as his fall-out with Alan in different interviews...
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Fall-Out with Titchmarsh
Although the Ground Force were basically like family by the time series three of the popular show came around, it didn't come without rows.
While sawing timber one time, Tommy accidentally covered the flower beds in sawdust, leaving Alan fuming at his co-star.
"Call me picky if you like but I like my Ground Force gardens to be pristine when we finish them," he told Radio Times.
Tommy Walsh with co-stars Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock (BBC)
Tommy and Alan briefly fell out on set (BBC/Curve Media Ltd/Gary Moyes)"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.
"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."
According to Alan, the one good thing to come out of the heated exchange was that it silenced their fellow host Charlie for a few moments.
Breast cancer diagnosis
Tommy didn't know men could get breast cancer until he experienced it himself.
He started getting concerned when he found two lumps on his chest in 2002 and went to see a doctor.
It took the star a while to get an appointment because it was more of an "afterthought" for him.
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Due to his family history, a doctor told him to see a consultant at The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.
It happened to be the same hospital his sister went to. She had a lumpectomy to remove cancerous and normal breast tissue when she was 31.
"I just buried myself in my work and then went along for the day surgery where the lumps were removed under a general anaesthetic," he said.
"It was only then that it sort of hit me that this could actually be serious and I could have breast cancer, like my relatives."
The test results showed that the lumps were benign, but he confessed it was "a bit of a wake-up call" about the disease.
Throat cancer
His experience with cancer unfortunately didn't end there as he recently discovered a lump in his throat.
During a cancer awareness campaign in 2022, he discovered a cancerous lump in his body.
He discovered a lump in his throat 20 years later (FilmMagic)
He's now fully recovered (TV Times via Getty Images)The star 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!"