Alan Titchmarsh has revealed that he once had a fiery disagreement with his Ground Force co-star, Tommy Walsh, over a sawdust mishap that left him seething.
Despite their solid professional relationship, tensions boiled over during an episode of the beloved BBC gardening show, as Alan found himself frustrated by Tommy’s error.
The popular series, which ran from 1997 to 2005, featured Alan, Tommy, and Charlie Dimmock as they revitalized gardens across the UK.
With audiences reaching up to 12 million viewers, the show even inspired a national craze for decking.
A Heated Moment on Set
Though the trio shared plenty of laughs throughout the series, not every moment was smooth sailing.
Alan recounted one of his most aggravating experiences, which took place in 2000 while working on a garden in Pitsea, Essex.
During the transformation, Tommy’s woodworking generated a cloud of sawdust that settled on Alan’s meticulously planted flower beds. Known for his precision and passion for gardening, Alan was far from pleased.
“Call me fussy if you like, but I prefer my Ground Force gardens to be immaculate when we complete them,” Alan said in an interview. “Seeing them covered in sawdust was far from ideal.”
Tommy, caught off guard by Alan’s reaction, later admitted that the situation became quite tense. “For a while, things were a bit heated,” he acknowledged.
Meanwhile, their co-star Charlie Dimmock, unsure how to respond to the clash, decided to stay out of it. Alan humorously recalled: “She just kept her head down and fiddled with her water feature.”
Making Amends
Despite the momentary friction, Alan and Tommy were able to patch things up quickly. “Once we both cooled down, we actually kissed and made up,” Tommy joked, showing that their camaraderie remained intact despite the disagreement.
Life After Ground Force
Alan decided to leave Ground Force in 2001, feeling that he had contributed enough to the show. Since then, he has continued to thrive in the world of television, hosting programs like Love Your Garden and Songs of Praise. He even dabbled in musical performances, appearing on All Star Musicals in 2019.
Tommy, on the other hand, has remained a well-known figure in home improvement television. He has presented several shows, including Cowboys and Angels, Tommy’s Ultimate Workshop, and Flip That House with Tommy Walsh. More recently, he has co-hosted Homes Under the Hammer and led the BBC series Clean It, Fix It.
Charlie has also maintained her presence in the gardening world. She has fronted shows like The Joy of Gardening and Charlie’s Garden Army, and even took part in Celebrity MasterChef in 2006. Currently, she is a key presenter on BBC’s Garden Rescue and still keeps in touch with her former co-stars.
A Lasting Friendship
Despite the occasional disagreement, Alan, Tommy, and Charlie’s friendship has endured beyond their time on Ground Force. Reflecting on their bond, Charlie recently shared: “I haven’t seen them lately, but we still keep in touch. Now and then, we’ll have a chat or run into each other.”
She added, “Tommy always jokes that we’re getting older, which is true, but we have so many fond memories of filming together—there was always plenty of laughter.”
While Alan and Tommy’s sawdust dispute may have been a rare moment of tension, it’s clear that their strong connection and shared history have allowed them to move past any disagreements, cherishing the many happy memories they created together on Ground Force.
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