Hell's Kitchen star Jean-Christophe Novelli has opened up about the reality of his three-year-old son Valentino's continuous health battle.
At just three, youngster Valentino has already battled against the rare childhood stage four cancer neuroblastoma.
And a year after going into remission, Valentino has been diagnosed with severe autism.
The TV chef and his fiancée Michelle Kennedy have admitted the heartbreaking truth that Valentino may never talk.
The couple spoke out following his daughter Christina Novelli's Santorini wedding, revealing that Michelle couldn't be at the big day because she had to stay in the UK with Valentino.
The star told Hello magazine: "We’re having to accept that he may be non-verbal, which is very sad.
"He can’t even say 'Mummy', which is heartbreaking."
The French chef has three children with Michelle - 11-year-old Jean Frankie, seven-year-old Jacques and three-year-old Valentino.
Jean-Christophe also has a daughter, Christina, from his first marriage to ex-wife Tina.
The family learned Valentino had the rare genetic condition Microdeletion Syndrome while he was having cancer treatment.
Valentino was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma when just six weeks old. It has one of the lowest survival rates and Valentino had to endure harsh chemotherapy in order to survive.
A welcome challenge – in the form of new TV show Celebrity Hunted – helped Jean-Christophe come to terms with Valeninto’s struggles.
Celebrities try to avoid being captured for two weeks and Jean-Christophe was teamed with fellow chef Aldo Zilli, 63.
The show is in support of Stand Up To Cancer – and Jean-Christophe has also been helping raise money for fellow chef Tim Bilton, 47, who has the disease.
The Frenchman says of Hunted: “It was the hardest thing I’ve done. The paranoia was the worst, being chased by the hunters day after day.
He and Zilli were aiming to get their hands on a share of £100,000 for the charity.
To read the full story, pick up the latest copy of HELLO!, out Monday 4 November.
