23 October 2023 , 18:50
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Gregg Wallace's name is synonymous with MasterChef thanks to the BBC show's huge success alongside co-star and best friend John Torode. But while the star is often and unsurprisingly mistaken for a chef himself - given that he judges the culinary skills of others for a living - he did, in fact, start out in the industry as a greengrocer.
The 59-year-old presenter had his own business in the late eighties, George Allan Greengrocer, and went on to open several restaurants in London including London Wallace & Co and Gregg's Bar & Grill. Since then, he's been the face of a number of foodie-lover shows and as a result, is often quizzed on his cooking expertise.
This is how he managed to meet his fourth wife Anne-Marie Sterpini - whom he calls Anna, when she tweeted him with a question about rhubarb in 2013. Describing their love as like 'winning the lottery', Gregg finally met his match after three failed marriages - including one that lasted a couple of weeks and another which he massively regrets.
Gregg is known for his TV work on MasterChef and Inside The Factory (BBC/Shine TV)Anne-Marie, who would have been 26 at the time, asked Gregg if rhubarb really went with duck after seeing him try a recipe on a cooking TV show. Gregg told HELLO! Magazine: "I just looked at Anna's photo and thought, 'Wow, she's pretty'. So yes, rhubarb, which was considered an aphrodisiac in medieval times, brought us together."
He later shared more about their love story while appearing on ITV's Lorraine, revealing he sent her a message on Twitter and they began messaging back and forward. "Then I sent her my phone number, this was five years ago," he confessed at the time. However, Anna wasn't 100 percent certain that he was the real deal until they met up for the first time in person. "She came down to London to have dinner with me, and she said it wasn't until we got to the restaurant, that she was comfortable it was really me and not an impostor," he continued.
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Gregg met Anne-Marie on Twitter in 2013 (UK Press via Getty Images)
They tied the knot in 2016 (Getty Images)The pair were married at Hever Castle in August 2016 after three years of dating, saying 'I do' in front of guests including John Torode, who was Gregg's best man, Lisa Faulkner, Marcus Wareing, and Monica Galetti. This was Gregg's fourth marriage and he previously told Lorraine that he thinks it was all to do with luck.
"I think it's just luck, and I got very lucky this time. Very lucky," he said. He's also described his relationship with Anne-Marie as like 'winning the lottery' while speaking to Kate Thornton on the White Wine Question Time podcast. "What has love taught me? That it is an absolute game of chance and that is it. It is a complete and utter lottery. I am very fortunate I got the winning ticket. I won the Euro Millions the day that young lady walked into my life. She popped up my timeline on Twitter."
During the episode, Gregg also opened up about his three previous marriages, sharing how he also met another of his wives on Twitter. He explained that meeting people in real life at a bar was difficult given his fame. "It is because I am on television. I can't walk into bars.
"You can't chat anyone up at work because the HR department would sack you. What I like about Twitter is that it is not a dating site. You can just have friendly chats with people," he told the host. "Did I have lessons from each one (of my marriages)? The first one lasted six weeks. I would say don't marry anyone because you are worried about losing your house.
Gregg met his third wife Heidi on Twitter as well (UK Press via Getty Images)
Gregg has two children from his second marriage to Denise (@libbylilywallace/Instagram)"So there is the first one. We bought a small house together in Bermondsey and then we broke up and I thought 'Well this is terrible. What is going to happen to the house?' I have worked so hard all my life, what is now going to happen? The second one we were together 14 years and the third one was a huge mistake. Probably the unhappiest I have ever been in my life but she was a teacher and was really good with the kids."
Despite this being his fourth time down the aisle, Gregg was keen for everyone to know he was serious about his relationship and wasn't rushing into another marriage. He told HELLO!: "Meeting Anna has brought me what I think I've always been searching for – that big, warm family dynamic and there's real strength in that.
"I'm very conscious of people thinking I just do this willy-nilly. But we haven't rushed into this – we've been together for three years and I truly have never met anyone like Anna." The presenter went on to share how she was his 'dream girl' and is 'beautiful inside and out'.
Since getting married the couple have also spoken about their 22-year age-gap, with Gregg making jokes about it from time to time - especially after the birth of their son, Sid, in May 2019. Speaking on Loose Women, panelist Judi Love asked him what it was like to be an older dad and Gregg replied that he was happy that Anne-Marie has someone close to her age to keep her company.
Gregg with his son Sid (@greggawallace/Instagram)He joked: "Baby Sid. You haven't met Mrs Wallace but I was really pleased she had a baby because it's someone at home more her own age to talk to." Sid is Gregg's third child, as the dad already had two children, Libby and Tom, from his second marriage to Denise in 1999, a former pastry chef. The pair were married for five years.
His other wives included Christine, his first wife who he married in 1991 and who left him six weeks later, as well as Heidi Brown to whom he was married from 2011 to 2012 after meeting on Twitter. Since getting married a fourth time and welcoming his third child, Gregg claims Anne-Marie has 'revolutionised' his life, as he's made some big lifestyle changes in order to support his family.
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Appearing on Good Morning Britain in January this year, he explained: "That young woman has revolutionised my life, there's a 22-year age gap, we have been together ten years and have a son, Sid, and I want to be there for them." He went on to reveal his fitness journey and how he'd lost five stone.
*MasterChef: The Professionals airs tonight at 9pm on BBC One