Gregg Wallace has confessed that he misses his MasterChef salary and "wearing nice clothes every day" as he reflected on his departure from the BBC show. The former presenter, who appeared alongside John Torode for nearly 20 years, stepped down in November 2024 amid misconduct allegations. A later review upheld 45 of 83 allegations, including one of "unwelcome physical contact," leading to his dismissal last year.
Downsizing and Financial Adjustments
Wallace is preparing to downsize, with his £1.3m Kent property listed for sale. He continues to post videos on his YouTube channel, The Gregg Wallace Way. In a recent episode, he shared behind-the-scenes insights from MasterChef, which he described as "secrets from 20 years."
He said: "There are a number of things I miss about not doing MasterChef anymore. And to be really honest, the first one is the money. It paid me really well. I did a lot of television over the years and it paid me really well. So, I miss that. Secondly, I miss the travel, all the restaurants we went to, the places around the world that we went to, just fantastic. But I also miss wearing nice clothes every day."
Loss of Income and Lifestyle
In 2024, The Sun reported that Wallace was earning £400,000, though this figure may have covered other MasterChef-related work. He also earned money from other ventures. He added: "Now, my TV career ended in a horrible, horrible way, and I'm not sure I will ever get over it. But thinking about the 20 years I spent on MasterChef, it was one of the best experiences of my life, and I'm incredibly proud to have been involved with something that was so, so successful."
Financial Stability and Family Legacy
Wallace, married to Anne-Marie Sterpini with a young son named Sid, discussed his decision to sell his property on TikTok, citing a need for "financial stability." He explained: "I can't have the life I used to have but whether you chose to believe it or not, I really wanted to come out of it anyway. Now I've got some choices and I am sure I am not alone in this. I want to ease off a little bit, I want to relax a little bit. 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, Sid."
He continued: "I 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. So 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."
