Tommy Walsh, who has died aged 69, was the East End handyman with a saw and power drill who became a mainstay of Ground Force with Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock, which was seen on BBC Television between 1997 and 2005; he also presented the daytime show Homes Under the Hammer, wrote books on DIY and garden improvement, and licensed his range of £1 tools to Poundland.
Arguably the most famous tradesman since Bob the Builder, Walsh was a big, burly man who spoke with a Cockney accent and often wore shorts or colourful braces. When cleaned up he stood 6ft 5in with silvery hair and deep blue eyes that matched his neatly pressed shirt. On one wrist he wore a Rolex watch, while on the other he sported a silver bracelet.
