Gregg Wallace says he only stars on ‘MasterChef’ to pay off his mortgage.
The 55-year-old presenter – who has co-hosted the cooking show with John Torode since 2005 – admitted he might step down from his role once he doesn’t need the money anymore.
He told the Daily Star newspaper: "Once I’ve paid off my mortgage and I have the pension pot that I requite, then I’ll take a judgement on whether I’ll keep doing the show. But right now I still need the money!"
The show became a hit for the BBC and has since spawned an array of spin-off shows including ‘Celebrity MasterChef’ and ‘MasterChef: The Professionals’.
Now, as one of the biggest names in television, the former greengrocer gets recognised across Europe as fans spotted him in Barcelona whilst filming for a new show with Channel 5.
Gregg added: "I get spotted by British tourists. While filming this show, Barcelona was the toughest for that.
"We were trying to work out in the street and there were so many Brits around. I don’t mind it but production were concerned about how much it holds things up.
"People shout things out from across the road, which isn’t ideal. But sometimes they can keep the camera running while I’m waving at people."
Meanwhile, the dad of three – to son Tom, 25, and daughter Libby, 22, from his second marriage to Denise Wallace and seven-month-old baby Sid with wife Anne-Marie Sterpini – is preparing for the life-altering operation his wife will undergo next year.
The 33-year-old mum will have part of her intestine removed and a complete hysterectomy – a procedure to remove the womb and cervix – after suffering from endometriosis since the age of 16.
Anna previously said: "It causes me a lot of pain. It’s a big operation and I’ll be in hospital for about ten days with three months recovery … I’m on pain relief every day. After the operation, there’s less chance of it coming back again."
Gregg added: "I’m not looking forward to Anna having the operation, but I’m looking forward to her being out of pain."
Gregg Wallace claims he does MasterChef for the money
