Former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace is pursuing autism coaching qualifications whilst planning to spend half each year in Italy following his decision to sell the £1 million Kent estate he purchased in 2017, with the 61-year-old citing financial security concerns for his younger family alongside his inability to “live the life he used to have” after BBC dismissal.
The broadcaster—axed last July following a Lewis Silkin law firm investigation upholding 45 of 83 historical workplace misconduct allegations—revealed Sunday via Instagram that he is downsizing from the “enormous” five-acre property featuring stables and pond to ensure legacy protection for wife Anne-Marie, 38, and autistic six-year-old son Sid.
“I want to ease off a little bit, I want to relax a little bit, but that also comes with wanting financial security for me and my family because I’ve got a wife that is much younger than me and a special needs little boy,” Wallace explained, adding he would purchase a “more modest house” whilst working less.
The presenter—who co-hosted MasterChef with John Torode for nearly 20 years before November 2024’s departure announcement—is channeling efforts into teaching children and adults with autism to live self-sufficient lives, inspired by nonverbal son Sid’s diagnosis.
“My plan is to sell this enormous house and buy a more modest house. I’ll work less and possibly spend half of the year in Italy making adventures for my family because we love Italy,” he stated.
The career pivot follows Wallace discontinuing a High Court claim against the BBC and BBC Studios Distribution Limited seeking up to £10,000 damages over alleged failures disclosing his personal data causing “distress and harassment,” with the February withdrawal seeing him receive no payment in costs or damages.
The Lewis Silkin review substantiated allegations mostly occurring between 2005 and 2018, with the “majority” relating to “inappropriate sexual language and humour” alongside “a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress” plus one instance of “unwelcome physical contact.”
Wallace issued apologies saying he was “deeply sorry for any distress caused” and “never set out to harm or humiliate,” though he claimed via January Substack post that the investigation process was “not a legal one” with standards of proof failing to “stand up in a court of law,” comparing it instead to internal HR procedures.
He alleged an “open invitation” solicited complaints from anyone who “ever worked with me (or met me)” after his reputation was “being dragged through the mud,” arguing that interacting with “tens of thousands of people” throughout his career made surviving “without any complaints being made against you” impossible.
Wallace claimed “all but one” upheld complaints predated 2018 when he received formal warnings about language.
The ex-presenter has supplemented income through personalised video messages and promotional work including recent non-stick ceramic pan advertisements.
