‘We’ve been trying for a family for two years'
gregg Wallace tells Woman’s Own of his and his fourth wife anna’s struggles to conceive
Gregg Wallace is one of our best-known food television presenters, with appearances on Masterchef, Inside The Factory, and Eat Well For Less. But, despite being very cheery on screen, the former grocer, 53, has revealed to Woman’s Own of his struggles to conceive with fourth wife Anne-marie, 32.
now three stone lighter than in as many years, gregg explains how doctors telling him he could suffer a heart attack was the push he needed to lose the weight…
What made you lose the weight? a few years ago, i just didn’t like the way i looked on telly. at my heaviest i was 16 stone – i am 5ft 8 – a blood test revealed that my cholesterol level was sky-high and the doctor said i was at risk of a major heart attack. and in the summer, i found it was creeping up so i lost a stone.
What’s your routine? i work out five days a week and swim. i love swimming – to me it is both exercise and meditation. if i can remain or can get even fitter and stay fit and well into my seventies i may well be able to make a living out of it… i can see me doing the gregg Wallace workout!
Are you happier about your body now? What i can’t get rid of is my belly. that is where i store any fat. i can deal with the bald head, but it’s the belly that bothers me!
Do you have date nights with your wife? We like to cook at the weekend, and so will open some wine, listen to music and rustle up some dishes. We prioritise listening to each other. i think it seems to be not necessarily romantic but incredibly practical for a successful relationship. i have found that what has happened to me previously is that once you find yourself competing with each other on how tough your lives are, it is going wrong. We are very fortunate to be able to have holidays, too, so we spend the whole of august in italy, just eating, chatting, walking and exploring.
‘The game of love is a lottery’
Are you trying to start a family? yes, we’ve been trying for two years. When i fell in love with a much younger woman, i realised that this is what she would want. i think, if an older man says to a younger woman i don’t really want children, i don’t think he loves her. the game of love is a lottery and i have just been very, very lucky this time. What i had to offer, anna was looking for and what she had to offer i was looking for and the chances of that happening are slim. We have a very good understanding. We have two lovely french bulldogs, too, bella and Wally. i have never felt this much love in my life. i am a very lucky man.