Gregg Wallace has revealed he is leaving the UK behind for a dramatically different life in Italy, after being forced to sell his sprawling £1million Kent home following his exit from MasterChef.
The 61-year-old former presenter confirmed the life-changing decision on Instagram, describing it as a “new chapter” for himself, his wife Anne-Marie, and their young son Sid, who is autistic and non-verbal.
After years in the spotlight, Gregg admitted his life has fundamentally changed since his BBC departure. He said they are now preparing to put their “enormous” countryside property on the market as part of a complete reset.
He explained that the family plans to buy a much smaller home in Yorkshire, close to where his daughter lives, while spending up to five months each year travelling across Italy.
Gregg shared: We are decluttering the house and we are going to put it on the market. We plan to buy a much more modest house in Yorkshire where my daughter lives and then spend five months of each year in Italy.
The TV star also revealed a deeply personal decision — he plans to homeschool his six-year-old son Sid, with support from autism specialists, as part of their new lifestyle abroad.
He said: My wife is Italian. I’ve always loved Italy and we plan to move around and rent in different places which is quite an adventure and with the help of my autism specialist mates, I am going to homeschool Sid as well.
Gregg admitted the move comes after he realised he could no longer live the life he once had. He reflected: I can’t have the life I used to have but whether you choose to believe it or not, I really wanted to come out of that anyway — just not in the dramatic way that I did.
He added that his priority now is slowing down while ensuring long-term financial security for his younger wife and their son.
I want to relax a bit but I also want to make sure I can have a certain lifestyle and that I leave a legacy for my family. That’s not easy to do, he said.
The former host, who fronted MasterChef for nearly two decades, was dismissed after an investigation upheld 45 allegations of workplace misconduct, many relating to inappropriate language and behaviour.
Since stepping away from television, Gregg has begun retraining as an autism coach, inspired by Sid, and says he now wants to help others live more independent lives.
Despite the controversy surrounding his exit, Gregg appears focused on rebuilding — swapping fame for family, and a high-profile career for a quieter life filled with travel, purpose, and a very different kind of future.
