Charlie Dimmock, left, and Alan Titchmarsh, right
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Charlie Dimmock on real reason Ground Force will never return: ‘Just don’t tell Alan I said that!’

She presented the popular makeover show in the 1990s

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Charlie Dimmock shot to fame on Ground Force alongside Alan Titchmarsh and Tommy Walsh in 1997.

But much to the dismay of fans, she previously revealed the real reason the popular BBC programme will never make a return.

The green-fingered goddess left the makeover show in 2004. She returned to screens 13 years later to front Garden Rescue, which sees her compete with designers to create stunning gardens for home owners around the country. Alan, meanwhile, hosts his Love Your Garden show.

Charlie Dimmock smiling in a blue shirt
Charlie Dimmock revealed the real reason Ground Force will never return (Credit: ITV)

Charlie Dimmock on how garden shows have changed

In a resurfaced interview from 2008, Charlie discussed how she believes garden shows have changed over the years.

“People realise now that if there’s a space outside their back door it can be useful and it’s not just the place where you keep the rubbish and the washing line,” she told Digital Spy.

“I think gardening shows have moved on. I still get letters now from some people, saying: ‘Can Ground Force come back?’ But, we’re all too old. Just don’t tell Alan [Titchmarsh] I said that!”

Charlie Dimmock smiling on Garden Rescue
Charlie now fronts Garden Rescue (Credit: BBC)

When asked if there’s a chance she’d ever get back with co-stars Alan and Tommy for another series, she said: “No, no, no. Tommy and me worked on the last two series, but then we said ‘that’s it’. The problem was that we had a budget we had to stick to for the cost of the garden. There’s only so many new products that come onto the market each year, so after 14 series, I think we’d done enough.”

Gardener Alan and celebrity builder Tommy reunited back in March, 21 years after they last appeared on Ground Force together. The duo were back together again for a cancer campaign, encouraging people to take up the NHS’s bowel cancer screening tests.

Alan Titchmarsh at the Chelsea Flower Show
Charlie presented the 1990s show alongside Alan Titchmarsh (Credit: Cover Images)

Charlie doesn’t always have time for her own garden

Meanwhile, Charlie also hosts Garden Rescue. While she’s busy helping others transform their gardens, she admitted it means her own often suffers.

“Firstly I have to say my garden isn’t always in tip top condition!” she previously explained. “Unfortunately I tend to be away working at the more critical busy times (Spring and Summer) so I often get behind.”

She added in an interview with Female First in 2016: “With all gardens it’s best to do maintenance frequently and regularly, that way you actually make the maintenance easier.”

Read more: Charlie Dimmock on aging and turning to food in ‘moments of weakness’

Garden Rescue airs on June 26 from 3.45pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. 

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