# TV Show: Tommy's Ultimate Workshop



## wizer (27 Oct 2005)

Just saw an advert on Discovery Real Time for this new show. Whilst Tommy Walsh is not a fine cabinet maker, it should be reasonably interesting.... He says hopefully [-o< 

DIY: Tommy's Ultimate Workshop
Channel: Discovery Real Time 133
Date: Wednesday 2nd November 2005
Time: 20:30 to 21:00 (starting in 6 days)
Duration: 30 minutes.
Tommy Walsh and his three-man building team clear out and demolish an old dilapidated shed in Essex to prepare the way for his ultimate workshop.
(Premiere)


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## Mcluma (27 Oct 2005)

That could be interesting


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## Chris Knight (27 Oct 2005)

I like Tommy, he is a no-nonsense kind of guy - no Krenov but he could well appeal to lesser mortals - sorry Philly, no use to you, I know! If we were to bombard him with suitable material I reckon he could be a British Norm! Philly?:lol:


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## Philly (27 Oct 2005)

Actually (and I'm not kidding!) I was originally asked to be part of this show. The Discovery folks came round my house and did some filming but I never heard anything back. They messed me around a bit-communication is not a Discovery strong point!!!! :evil: 
Should be worth a look though.
Cheers
NotSorePhilly


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## wizer (27 Oct 2005)

I wonder who is helping him then. No info on their site


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## Chris Knight (27 Oct 2005)

Philly":ci3mutay said:


> I was originally asked to be part of this show



Cor, I kinda know a nearly TV star! Please, please, if you get onto the show, invite me!! [-o<


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## Philly (27 Oct 2005)

Heh! Don't hold your breath Mate! :roll: 
I am a lot happier with publishing at the mo...... :wink: 
NotFamous :lol:


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## Alf (27 Oct 2005)

Sheesh, there's gonna be a *queue* for autographed photos at this rate. :roll:


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## wizer (27 Oct 2005)

id like them to repeat the John's Workshop series, remember it being quite interesting.

iirc the John was Chris Evans producer on his Radio 1 Breakfast show


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## Philly (27 Oct 2005)

I'd like them to show the "New Yankee Workshop" in the correct series order! :evil: 
Never gonna happen, sadly!
Philly :norm:


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## jasonB (27 Oct 2005)

I wonder if it will be his ultimate choice of tools or more likely what manufacturers Discovery have talked into donating/sponsoring the series :?: 

Jason


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## tim (27 Oct 2005)

Philly":3lz55z0y said:


> I am a lot happier with publishing at the mo



They all start like that.... :lol: 

Cheers

Tim


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## Mcluma (28 Oct 2005)

WiZeR":38qm5j6f said:


> id like them to repeat the John's Workshop series, remember it being quite interesting.



I thoughed he was using to much contracters to do his workshop, he hardly lifted a finger in that show

McLuma


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## wizer (28 Oct 2005)

I admit, i saw it before I actually got into woodworking. Still, must be worth repeating. Even if it's in the small hours.


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## martyn2 (28 Oct 2005)

Philly":1hpwau4q said:


> I'd like them to show the "New Yankee Workshop" in the correct series order! :evil:
> Never gonna happen, sadly!
> Philly :norm:



I second this motion even a look at the new series whould be good 8) 

Martyn


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## Argee (29 Oct 2005)

Mcluma":1hoepv1u said:


> WiZeR":1hoepv1u said:
> 
> 
> > id like them to repeat the John's Workshop series, remember it being quite interesting.
> ...


It was just as well that he DID use contractors - at least they seemed to know what they were doing, unlike the utterly talentless Mr. Revell. I don't think I've ever seen anyone make so much mess during a very simple glue-up, before or since.

Still, he fitted the then-current presenter requirements: he knew somebody who's name we would recognise, flapped his hands about every time he said anything and cracked on that he was "in the know." He obviously believed that having all the tools would turn him into a craftsman - that was proved not to be the case in the resulting brief series from the workshop. 

I despair about this sort of self-centred presenter (Ben Huggins and his wife and Home DIY's Dave are other examples). I had high hopes for David Free, but he was merely Trend's rep in a British NYW - he even used the original director of NYW and an IDENTICAL format. Cutting Edge Woodworker was more quirky and featured some emphasis on design, but the appeal must have been fairly limited, as he's disappeared now. Rico Daniels is an easy-to-watch rough diamond, but to call his projects "furniture" is a step too far.

At least Tommy Walsh isn't pretentious, although he does love the sound of his own voice and is often patronising (_"It's what *we *call a riser."_ Yes, that's because it's the correct term). 

What I struggle to understand is what the *point *of the programme is supposed to be. If he's a builder, he'll be on site. What's the point of him having a workshop if he gets Alan Herd to do all his simple on-site carpentry? (needs to be fairly simple - Herd's recent "Houseboat" programme also involved contractors for 90% of the work. Still, Alan did ride in the crane twice.)

Both "Dreamboats" and "Getting Afloat" showed the way to do it - presenters who so obviously knew what they were doing, enjoyed doing it and spoke in an honest and down-to-earth way. Very little was about *them* as the entire emphasis was on the build and related spin-offs. I've almost no interest in small sailing boats, but these were very watchable programmes. 

Tommy Walsh is in grave danger of becoming a "luvvie" - if he already hasn't - I hope that the workshop involved will be effectively used in bringing us better programmes in the future, or is that just too much to ask? :x 

Ray.


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## wizer (29 Oct 2005)

Can't help agreeing with you Ray. Sums up my thoughts on the whole thing. But as you say, this seems to be what the public want. I think the general viewing population are not people who actually DO woodworking/DIY. Just dream of it. When they do attempt it, they balls it all up because they have watched a programme which has been shot for entertainment rather than information.

Oh, and I think Tommy is very much a luvvie since before Titchmarsh left ground force. He has promotional pictures of himself in a tux with his jacket swept over his back. He sends these out to 'fans'. Who are all women by the way. He's known to be quite a prima donna too.


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## martyn2 (29 Oct 2005)

wasn't there another on smith and something that was quite good at least the projects were real woodworking because one like power tools and other like hand tools .

martyn


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## Argee (29 Oct 2005)

martyn2":50g1p3cz said:


> wasn't there another on smith and something that was quite good at least the projects were real woodworking because one like power tools and other like hand tools .
> 
> martyn


Crikey, Martyn, I'd forgotten all about that one! 

It *was *fairly watchable, but like the Cutting Edge Woodworker, the products' raw materials were outrageously expensive for a supposed DIY audience. I seem to recall that one table they made was almost £1K.  

Ray.


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## LeeElms (29 Oct 2005)

It was 'Smith & Sweetman'. 

We liked it, and would watch is again if they repeated it, which as far as I know, they haven't (or my Tivo missed it). 

I do agree that the projects generally cost a lot ...


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## frank (29 Oct 2005)

will tommy use his brickies trowel and some morter to stick his joints together :twisted: :twisted: :shock:  .

frank


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## Drew (29 Oct 2005)

I agree with Ray about his comments on the british woodworking contingent on DRT. Surely they could come up with something original and someone to front it who didn't think their first job was as a comedian

If you think Tommy is a bit of a prima donna wait until you see The Tree Team. I may have picked it up wrong but it seemed to me never mind the tree houses just look how successful we are and the exotic places we get to.

Drew


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## Noel (29 Oct 2005)

Ray, agree with most of what you said except I think Ben and Hannah Huggins do a good job and he does have a rather nice workshop (see more of it in "Mates Rates"). Who's the bloke with pony tail and hairy face? Saw him doing a picket fence the other day, not a great programme. Yip, David Free was good, pity no more series. 
Always reckoned Anton Fitzpatrick's Woodworks was excellent. Good straight presentation, hand tooled alot of the time.
What about Alan Herd's The Restorer, wasn't too bad. I'll not mention Twits In The Wood...................

Noel


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## PowerTool (29 Oct 2005)

Noel":186porzv said:


> Who's the bloke with pony tail and hairy face? Saw him doing a picket fence the other day, not a great programme.
> Noel



Dave Welman ?
New Homes DIY,and Room for Improvement
Caught some of New homes DIY this week for the first time (not usually home in time) and saw him hanging a ledge-and-brace gate with the braces away from the hinges.

Hmm,I thought :shock: 

Andrew


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## Freetochat (29 Oct 2005)

Ray - totally agree with all that you said. It seems to me that the only way to go is for specialist DVD's to be produced. TV has to provide entertainment to gain the magic viewing figures, and as in most things will not cater for the enthusiast.


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## Gill (29 Oct 2005)

I woke early this morning and, since it was too early to do anything constructive, I plonked myself down in front of the silly person box. After a few minutes watching something inane, I started to panic and reach for the remote because "Scrollsaw Workshop" was about to start on H&L. That was the point at which I realised I must have fallen asleep again and been dreaming. I woke up immediately and confirmed to my bitter disappointment that "Scrollsaw Workshop" had indeed been a mere figment of my imagination.

Ah well, it was nice to dream of the possibility.

Gill


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## frank (30 Oct 2005)

gill you need to get out a bit more  getting up early to watch the telly [-X  :wink: 

frank

i dont have sky or cable ,just the repeats on free view.but then it saved a few bob ,for more toys eeeeerrr tools .


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## Mcluma (30 Oct 2005)

What are the presenters again from Shedheads, One of them was actually a good presenter and woodworker. I always liked watching Shedheads

McLuma


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## StevieB (31 Oct 2005)

Hmm, I had the feeling that both John Revell and Tommy Walsh were in the trade before becoming TV personalities. I think TW specialised in renovating Victorian Houses, and actually did some woodwork in 'The Reclaimers' I seem to recall. Fair play to him I recokon, would you rather be up to your knees in mud on a January morning on a building site, or standing in front of a camera for more money and far less discomfort? What he has done is shown people that you dont have to call in a builder for most simple jobs, which given the number of cowboys about has to be a good thing.

Alan Heard I have a bit more time for, and always try and catch Restoration Man if I can. I suspect alot of the use of contractors is down to time scale by the TV company to be honest - sure Tommy and Alan can do what the contractors are doing, but it takes alot longer for one man to do it that a team brought in to fill half an hour of air time.

I suspect I will not be asking Rico Daniels to build any furniture for me however....

Steve.


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## Les Mahon (3 Nov 2005)

Well, what can I say - a Half hour program on how to demolish a shed and lay a concrete slab! 

It has th potential to be good, and I liked the peek into Ian D's workshop - which as with all photos of it makes me cringe - Laminate flooring and not a spot of dust anywhere!

Les


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