Greg James says he and wife Bella Mackie ‘thinking no’ to starting family

Radio and television presenter Greg James has said he and his writer wife Bella Mackie currently have no plans to start a family.

The Radio 1 DJ, 37, said the couple “have a nice life” without children – and are currently thinking “no” to expanding their family.

The star even joked that friends with children make having a family “look hard”.

Speaking about having children with Men’s Health UK, the presenter – who is hosting new Channel 4 reality show Rise and Fall – said: “We’re just monitoring it.

“But basically we’re both on ‘no’ to kids at the moment… It’s where we are at the moment.

“We’re having a nice time. I’m 37 and Bella is 39. Plenty of time…We have a nice life.

“Bella is enjoying her success as a writer and we can take a view later. Ask ourselves: what does our life look like in 10, 15, 20 years? We’re fine without it.

“I guess there are consequences for later in life, when we’re two sad old people rocking away in our rocking chairs. But to be honest, all of our friends make having kids look hard. None of them look like they’re having a nice time [laughs].”

James added: “We’re not short of babies and kids in our families. I would also like to go and live abroad for a year some time, somewhere hotter and with good wine. So maybe France or Italy.”

The couple got engaged in June 2018 after Mackie – the author of How To Kill Your Family and Jog On – popped the question.

They got married months later in September that same year.

Mackie has written previously about having a miscarriage in May 2020 and how falling pregnant had an impact on her mental health.

Mackie suffers from anxiety and OCD and has written openly about her conditions.

James spoke about his wife’s mental health issues with the magazine: “We had talked about her mental health before, and of course I was aware because she had written about it in her book [Jog On].

“It was severe anxiety hand in hand with OCD and it can be crippling… I’ve learned so much about mental health through her. We’re very open about it, which is so much better.”

James also spoke about the BBC following a number of scandals featuring the national broadcaster.

“I love the BBC, really care about it, fully support it and I believe in it…” he said. “It has given me an amazing life and career and looked after me. I will always back it. It’s resilient, still there a hundred years on. It has weathered a lot of stuff.”

Greg James was speaking to Men’s Health UK ‘Talking Heads’ columnist, Alastair Campbell, in the April issue of the magazine, on sale from 21st March.