She transformed gardens on Ground Force and won herself a legion of male fans after becoming TV’s earthiest pin-up.
Green-fingered Charlie Dimmock, 57, was one of the stars of British TV during the late nineties, co-presenting garden makeover shows with Alan Titchmarsh.
She became loved by fans for her incredible knowledge, funny sense of humour and holding her own against the boys.
The red-haired master gardener was not afraid to get her hands dirty on the hit BBC show between 1997 and 2005.
But it was her eye-catching attire that made her the secret crush of husbands and fathers across the country.
Such was her popularity, the verge-trimming bombshell even released her own calendar.
But previously, her nearly-nude poses have included recreating Botticelli’s Venus for Radio Times, posing naked in a bath of popcorn and reclining on a hotel bed in only high heels and a few strategically placed rose petals.
She said at the time: ‘Nudity is not something I’m naturally comfortable with. For the Botticelli shoot I wasn’t naked – I was in a flesh-coloured body stocking.
‘And the rose petal shoot was frightening because it was meant to be about frocks.
‘Then three boxes arrived filled with petals – and no dresses. All I had on was a mad pair of heels.’
After appearing alongside Titchmarsh and Tommy Walsh, the gardener returned to the BBC but with a less revealing wardrobe.
This time she presented Garden Rescue, battling it out with brothers David and Harry Rich to design new gardens for homeowners.
But while Charlie’s love of gardening was clear from the start, her status as a sex symbol wasn’t something the gardener had expected.
She told Best Magazine in 2019: ‘Suddenly a sex symbol at 32? I don’t think so, I never had been before.’
The presenter would often go braless on the show but insists she never intended to be a sex symbol: ‘It is sometimes just more comfortable not having a bra on. I didn’t plan it.’ she said.
However, the gardening guru admits she doesn’t think she will ever get rid of her ‘bra-less’ tag and male and female fans still come up to her and comment on it.
‘It was all very silly. I remember Esther Rantzen said to me, “You’ll be referred to as the bra-less one for the rest of your life. I’m still referred to as the buck-toothed presenter of That’s Life!”
The curly-haired gardening queen said she now relies on gardening to keep her in fit.
She added: ‘Have you seen me? I’m not in shape!
‘But gardening keeps me fit… I’ve got stamina but I wouldn’t say I’m the most agile of people these days.’
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
