MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace reveals son, 4, may never be able to speak and is still in nappies but says ‘we’re so lucky’

TV presenter Gregg Wallace has revealed the challenges he faces parenting his autistic son Sid - but says the pair have an unbreakable bond that makes him feel proud.

The MasterChef host, 59, who has grown up children Tom and Libby, welcomed youngest son Sid with third wife Anne-Marie, 36, in 2019.

The youngster is currently non-verbal and Gregg admits he's unsure if he will ever be able to speak.

While Sid has found other ways of communicating, like leading his parents by the hand, Gregg remains fearful of missing signs his son is unwell or upset.

In an exclusive interview in conjunction with , Gregg said: "The biggest challenge is... they're fears more than anything else. If he's upset or he's unwell, at the moment, he can't tell us, and I'm not sure how he would communicate that to us.

"He started school and, of course, you can't say 'are you making friends?' So all you've got is him skipping into school and looking forward going into school."

While high-profile celebrities such as Gregg, Paddy and Christine McGuinness and Katie Price have been shining a spotlight on autism due to their own children's needs, there are still plenty of misconceptions out there about the condition.

For Gregg, social situations that many take for granted require a little bit more planning to ensure they run without a hitch.

He continued: "An issue is the public understanding when you go out that you haven't got a naughty child, you've got a child that simply doesn't understand the concept of 'be good and we'll give you ice cream' or 'it will be here in a minute'.

"You can't bribe or threaten him. When he's bored or fed up, that's it.

"Of course, he can't use cutlery. He's very particular about the food he eats. If you're going to try and go out for lunch you have to tell the pub first you're bringing your own food for your little boy."

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that impacts people socially and developmentally in a myriad of ways.

For Sid, one of these is a delay to toilet training, but Gregg is hopeful his new school will help him grasp it.

Gregg continued: "He's still in nappies as well, but we're very fortunate with the school. They're going to try and work on his toilet training.