Matthew Wright has revealed he will not be spending Christmas with his pregnant wife this year.
The 53-year-old radio presenter hates the pressure of the festive season and instead prefers to spend a couple of weeks away from home on a fishing trip, meaning he will not be with his significant other, Amelia Wright.
Read more: Matthew Wright becomes emotional after opening up about wife’s IVF struggle
In a guest column in this week’s Closer magazine, he wrote: “The meaning of Christmas may be about spending time with loved ones, but I have to admit I always spend the day on my own.
“I hate the stress of it and the pressure to spend so much money on presents and food. So I take myself off somewhere for two weeks, fishing, without any friends or family.
“I’ve always been a loner and benefit a lot from my own company. I also haven’t bought a Christmas card or present for about 11 years.”
Matthew said even though Amelia is pregnant with their first child – due on Valentine’s Day – he’s still going away for “a few weeks on my own”.
Matthew – who is best known for being the host of the Channel 4 topical debate show The Wright Stuff from 2000 to 2018 – insisted Amelia is understanding of her husband’s reclusive nature and says “she’s always been supportive” of his choice to leave her to enjoy Christmas with her family while he goes on a solo fishing trip.
However, Matthew has been told he will not be able to spend Christmas alone next year after their baby daughter is born.
In September, Matthew announced the joyous news that he and Amelia were expecting their first child, a baby girl, after eight years of IVF treatment and six heartbreaking miscarriages.
At the time, during an appearance on Lorraine, Matthew and Amelia spoke about their difficult IVF struggle.
Amelia said: “I almost can’t believe it’s happening. Eight years trying, six miscarriages. But seventh time lucky.”
Matthew admitted he used to never have an interest in being a parent until now.
Talking about how Matthew will be as a father, Amelia gushed: “We talked about it earlier, he’s going to be the most doting dad. Hands on.”
Read more: Matthew Wright and his wife expecting baby after years of IVF
Discussing how he’s planning to make fatherhood his number one priority, Matthew said: “Primary carer, potentially. I’m being quite serious about that.
“I was thinking, I had one eye on early retirement, some fishing, chilling out, wine in the sunshine, and then the baby news came I think three, four days after I quit my job on the telly and I thought ‘blimey, I might have to go back to work now.’ But actually I’m thinking ‘no I can be a pensioner parent.'”
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