Gregg Wallace — things you didn't know about the MasterChef judge

Celebrity chef Gregg Wallace has become a household name after joining weekend cooking show, Saturday Kitchen, in 2002. Since then Gregg has found fame talking about all things food-related, and has presented shows like Eat Well for Less and Inside the Factory.

But it is his role on MasterChef and Celebrity MasterChef, which he co-presents with fellow chef, John Torode, that Gregg is probably best known for.

Most fans of the chef will know that:

• He also presents historical TV shows for the BBC.
• He's written for Good Food and Olive magazine.
• He loves a good pudding!
• He presents other shows for Channel 5, including Gregg Wallace’s Magical Christmas Markets at the end of 2021.

Gregg Wallace: little known facts about the celebrity chef...

1. He started his career as a greengrocer 

Gregg kick-started his career by selling vegetables at a stall in Covert Garden, but it didn't take long for him to set up his business, George Allan's Greengrocers, which was hugely successful. He was then invited to present Radio 4 show Veg Talk... which aired for a staggering 7 years.

2. Gregg Wallace met his wife on Twitter 

In 2013 Gregg met Anna-Marie Sterpini on Twitter when she contracted him to ask if rhubarb really went with duck after watching him cook a recipe on TV. He told Hello Magazine: "I just looked at Anna's photo and thought, 'Wow, she's pretty!'" The pair then started swapping messages on social media before organising a dinner date in London.

3. John Torode was best man at his wedding

Three years after meeting on social media, Gregg and Anna tied the knot at Heaver Castle in Kent. Gregg asked his MasterChef co-host John to be his best man, insisting there was no one better for the job. He told Hello: "There is no part of my life John isn't aware of. He's seen me though the good, the bad and the ugly and has always been there for me, so it was a very easy choice to make."

More: Things you didn't know about Rowan Atkinson 

4. He's launched his own fitness brand 

After being told by doctors that his cholesterol levels were dangerously high, Gregg took on a weight-loss programme and dropped an amazing four stone. Since then Gregg has launched his own fitness website called ShowMe.Fit, and his wife, Anna, is also involved. For £7 a month, fans can join up and revive workouts, nutritional information and motivation, all devised by Gregg himself and personal trainer Danny Rai.

5. He loves taking part in reality TV shows

Gregg appeared in BBC singing contest Just the Two of Us in 2007, where he was paid with professional singer Carol Decker, the lead singer for 1980s band, T'Pau. The pair were sadly the first to be eliminated. In 2014 Gregg took part in Strictly Come Dancing and was partnered with professional dancer Aliona Vilani. The pair were voted out by the public in the second week.

6. He's best friends with his wife's mum

Gregg has admitted that he gets on brilliantly with Anna's mum, Rena, because they are around the same age. The TV chef revealed that the pair of them will chat about TV shows and 1970s chart hits, but his wife who is 22 years his junior, has no idea what they're talking about. He told The Sun: "I love Rena - we have such a giggle. We remember the same TV shows and songs... this morning we were singing Boney M at breakfast and Anna has no idea!"

7. He's a huge rugby fan

After growing up playing rugby at school, Gregg is a huge follower of the sport and he spends his downtime watching his beloved Rugby Football Club, Wasps. His nephew was even in the Wasps academy.

Gregg Wallace's Fact File 

Answers to the most frequently asked questions about the celebrity chef....

Twitter: @GregAWallace

Instagram: @greggawallace

Catch Celebrity MasterChef on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

We work hard to ensure that all information is correct. Facts that change over time, such as age, will be correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of the last article update.

Main pic: Getty