Greg Wallace: From Covent Garden greengrocer to TV personality

Gregg Wallace has deed the headlines aft stepping distant from his relation connected MasterChef portion humanities allegations of inappropriate intersexual comments are externally reviewed.

Wallace, 60, is champion known arsenic a justice connected the long-running BBC cookery programme but worked formerly arsenic a greengrocer.

Born successful Peckham, successful south-east London, the TV property began his vocation successful the Covent Garden effect and rootlike market.

He started George Allan’s Greengrocers successful 1989 and has gone connected to person a palmy broadcasting career, presenting galore shows implicit the years, among them Veg Talk connected BBC Radio 4 with Charlie Hicks.

He was besides the archetypal presenter of the BBC amusement Saturday Kitchen successful 2002 and has been featured connected Eat Well For Less?, Inside The Factory, Turn Back Time, Harvest, and Supermarket Secrets.

He took portion successful Strictly Come Dancing successful 2014 and was the archetypal to beryllium booted disconnected the show, on with his nonrecreational creation spouse Aliona Vilani.

Wallace has besides hosted Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals and regularly writes for nutrient magazines.

Wallace has been unfastened astir his fittingness travel implicit the past mates of years and started a weight-loss and wellness tract called ShowMe.Fit arsenic good arsenic a steadfast manner podcast called A Piece Of Cake.

The TV prima revealed that a doc had cautioned him successful 2017 that, acknowledgment to precocious cholesterol, helium was “heading for a bosom attack” if helium did not instrumentality action.

He has 2 children, Tom and Libby, from a erstwhile narration arsenic good arsenic a young lad called Sid, whom helium welcomed with his 4th woman Anne-Marie Sterpini successful 2019.

Appearing connected ITV amusement Lorraine the aforesaid twelvemonth their lad was born, Ms Sterpini said their 21-year property spread was “just a number”.

Wallace’s autobiography, Life On A Plate, was published successful 2012 and Gregg’s Italian Family Cookbook, a publication helium co-wrote with his wife, was published successful 2019.

In 2020, the TV star, who is simply a long-standing Wasps supporter, was among the stars backing a Premiership Rugby run urging its players to telephone susceptible fans during lockdown.

In 2022, Wallace was made an MBE arsenic helium was recognised successful the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to nutrient and charity.

The broadcaster said successful a connection astatine the time: “From a assembly property successful Peckham to being recognised by the Queen is for maine thing akin to a fairy-tale story. I americium incredibly, incredibly proud.”

His MasterChef co-presenter, John Torode, was besides made an MBE successful 2022, for outstanding services to food, broadcasting and charity.

Last year, Wallace said helium would halt presenting Inside The Factory aft 7 years arsenic helium needed to absorption connected his lad who is non-verbal and autistic.