Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Greg Wise has opened up about a traumatic death that affected him so deeply he briefly halted his acting career, just two years into what became a screen career spanning more than 30 years.
Wise is known for his roles in the film Sense and Sensibility and TV shows including Netflix's The Crown, and he competed on BBC's Strictly in 2021. He has now written a book, described as his most personal project, discussing some of the most poignant times in his life, including significant loss while undergoing IVF treatment with his actress wife Dame Emma Thompson, and caring full-time for his sister during her final months.
Early experience of grief
Appearing on ITV's Lorraine, Wise discussed his book and the topic of grief, opening up about one of his earliest experiences with loss. Host Lorraine Kelly noted: "I didn't realise you had a friend who died .. . when he was really young and the very close group you had all had to deal with it in your different ways and that shapes you doesn't it?"
Wise replied: "It does yes and Simon died when we were all in our 'immortal' phase in our life. We're all in our mid 20s and we're all 'nothing can ever possibly happen to us - invincible' and suddenly the most invincible one of the crowd is wiped out and we're all going 'what does that mean? what's the point of everything'."
He continued: "Looking at that in the book, a sudden death, is also a trauma, it's not just grief, it's trauma which traps you in this moment of this terrible happening and you stick. And that's what happened to me I just stuck."
"I couldn't unstick. I was two years into becoming an actor and on this mad career path and two years in I said I have to stop everything because what is the point."
Retreat and recovery
In 2024, the actor told The Guardian that after his friend Simon drowned when Wise was 26, he believed he retired from acting and travelled to the Australian outback to get as far away as possible. There, following a four-hour road trip, he broke down in tears as the emotional weight of his grief hit him.
Wise also explained to Lorraine that his book tries to offer practical suggestions to help those going through grief, as well as advice to prepare loved ones who will one day experience it. This includes offering food as "grief makes you forget to eat" and putting together a "death box" of important passwords and other key information that might be needed after someone's death.
Career continued
Ultimately, he did not completely quit acting. Kelly noted he went on to enjoy an 'amazing' life professionally. He most recently starred in historical drama The Buccaneers on Apple TV+ last year.
