GREGG WALLACE: (Joint host of Masterchef and rugby fanatic)

MATT is an amazing bloke and I would offer you the serious suggestion that you keep a copy of his autobiography Engaged close at hand at all times.

He doesn’t pull any punches in describing what he has been confronted with, but the way in which he has faced those challenges square on and then risen above them is nothing short of extraordinary. It certainly puts the much less serious challenges the likes of you and me are confronted with into perspective.

In one way his story is nothing to do with rugby and in another way it is everything to do with the sport I love. Anybody can be struck down by a catastrophic injury at any time but what has been amazing is how his inspirational leadership has been the catalyst to a huge collective team effort and something wonderful.

That I do put down to his rugby background and the friends he has made along the way and the unhesitating support everybody in the rugby community gives when he asks.

I was very honoured when he contacted me and asked if I would like to help and it’s been one of life’s great joys getting to know Matt a bit. He’s a proper regular bloke – he loves his rugby, likes a bit of fun and a laugh, gets on with everybody and doesn’t take life too seriously. He’s a real foodie by the way, it’s something he can enjoy 100 per cent exactly like the rest of us and he’s becoming pretty expert.

Matt is of course known for his adoption of the Shawshank Redemption line - Get busy living - but my favourite line from his own book is actually when, in the early days after his accident, he is pondering and agonising, Why me? Why me? Why me? A perfectly natural reaction. And then one day he had a bit of a Damascus moment and flipped it over mentally and said, Why not me? Why not me? There is nothing written in the stars that says you will go through life smoothly and untroubled. Life is what happens to you. What he has done is a bloody inspiration to a lot of us. Well done mate, we’re all very proud of you.