TV Show: Tommy's Ultimate Workshop

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wizer

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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)
 
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:
 
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
 
I wonder who is helping him then. No info on their site
 
Heh! Don't hold your breath Mate! :roll:
I am a lot happier with publishing at the mo...... :wink:
NotFamous :lol:
 
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
 
I'd like them to show the "New Yankee Workshop" in the correct series order! :evil:
Never gonna happen, sadly!
Philly :norm:
 
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
 
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
 
I admit, i saw it before I actually got into woodworking. Still, must be worth repeating. Even if it's in the small hours.
 
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
 
Mcluma":1hoepv1u said:
WiZeR":1hoepv1u 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
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.
 
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.
 
:D 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 :D
 
martyn2":50g1p3cz said:
:D 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 :D
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. :eek:

Ray.
 
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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