Inside Charlie Dimmock's relationship with John Mushet (2024)

24 shares

Gardening guru Charlie Dimmockmade headlines in the noughties after she cheated on her partner of 13 years with a Ground Force co-star.

The green-fingered Garden Rescue presenter, now 57, first became a household name on the BBC show, which she fronted from 1997-2005.

It was during this time, in 2001, that she and her long-term partner John Mushet went their separate ways after she embarked on an affair microphone operator Andy Simmons.

She soon parted ways from John and her relationship with Andy fizzled out. Ayear later she admitted she 'doesn't see Andy anymore' but 'doesn't regret what happened'.

Charlie's relationship with viticulturalist John Mushet lasted thirteen years and she 'relied heavily on family and close friends' after the breakup.

Charlie and John met in New Zealand in the early 1990s while Charlie was travelling around New Zealand.

Upon their return home, they settled down together in Romsey, where they lived in a 17th century cottage together in the grounds of the garden center that Charlie managed.

John fondly referred to the garden fanatic as his 'misses,' despite the pair never actually tying the knot.

He would accompany Charlie to red carpet television events, as she became a household name in horticulture for her work on Ground Force with Alan Titchmarsh and Tommy Walsh, drawing in 12 million viewers at their peak.

The end of their relationship was sudden and public, after her personal life was mired with scandal and her affair with Andy came to light.

Speaking about their break up to The Daily Mail in 2002, Charlie said: '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.

'Where do I find someone? I wouldn't go into a wine bar to look for a man. Nor on a blind date. I could really meet someone only at a party given by a friend, so I could find out their history before getting involved.'

The affair was short lived and the presenter also went on to date another member of Ground Force's off-camera team - sound technician Barry Smith.

Tragically, Dimmock's life went through further upheaval during the final years of the hit outdoor show, when her mother and stepfather died in Thailand's Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004 while they were on holiday in phu*ket.

The TV star 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.

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

For the following two years, Charlie turned down any work before her career branched off away from purely gardening.

She enjoyed a stint in acting when she took on a short role in the 2010 touring production of Calendar Girls.

But the presenter is now back on screens to the delight of fans in Garden Rescue, alongside the likes of Chris Hull with whom she competes to create stunning outdoor spaces for homeowners across the UK.

Each host comes up with a design and budget to suit the garden space and the homeowner picks which gets built.

Garden Rescue returned to BBC One on April 29 for a new series.

BBCDaytime TVGarden RescueNew Zealand