Ground Force star Charlie Dimmock's affair and heartache over family tragedy

02 July 2023 , 19:08

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Ground Force's Charlie Dimmock's affair admission and family tsunami tragedy (Image: BBC)

Charlie Dimmock rose to fame on the beloved series Ground Force alongside Alan Titchmarsh and Tommy Walsh.

The series ran between 1997 and 2005 and brought in over 12 million people at its peak.

After time away from our TV screens, Charlie then went on to transform homes on Garden Rescue in 2016 and hasn't looked back since.

Although the show was incredibly successful, her time on the programme was hit with a shocking scandal when she mixed business with pleasure.

She split from her long-term partner, John Mushet, in 2001 after having an affair with the show's microphone operator Andy Simmons.

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Charlie previously opened up about the affair in 2002 and admitted she "doesn't see Andy anymore".

"But I don't regret what happened. You wouldn't do anything if you kept worrying about what might go wrong," she said.

Charlie rose to fame on Ground Force (BBC)

"John and I had been together for a long time so when we split up I relied heavily on family and close friends. I've discovered that the most difficult after-effect of the break-up is getting into another relationship."

Charlie went on to date another member of the programme's crew; sound technician Barry Smith.

A few years after the split, Charlie experienced her own personal heartbreak when her mother and stepfather died in the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004.

They were on holiday in Phuket, Thailand, when the tsunami hit.

Charlie did not speak about the tragedy at the time but her agent said in a statement: "It is very upsetting for her. It has been too soon for her to come to terms with it.

Charlie was left heartbroken after her mother and stepdad's death (BBC)

"She is coping day by day at the moment. We have promised her that we will protect her."

According to The Daily Mail, Charlie turned down any work for two years after the tragedy struck.

Charlie's career has branched off in more directions than gardening, including an acting stint when she took on a short role in the 2010 touring production of Calendar Girls.

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She has now returned to our screens on the BBC makeover show Garden Rescue, alongside garden designers the Rich brothers with whom she competes to create stunning outdoor spaces for homeowners around the country.

Zara Woodcock