TV cook Delia Smith's husband Michael Wynn-Jones dead at 85

Delia Smith's husband Michael Wynn-Jones has passed away at the age of 85.

On 28 September, it was reported that the journalist, who recently marked 55 years of marriage to the TV cook, "died peacefully at home" on Monday morning.

The sad news was announced by Norwich City football club, as Wynn-Jones served as honorary life president alongside his wife.

In statement, the club said (via BBC News): “Michael died peacefully at home on Monday morning, aged 85. He will be greatly missed. His family are grateful for the wonderful care provided by the community nursing team at St Elizabeth hospice in Ipswich.

“Our deepest condolences are with Delia and Tom [Smith, the couple’s nephew], and with all of Michael’s family, friends and loved ones. At the family’s request, we ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult time.”

Smith, who first started cooking on television in the 1970s, married Wynn-Jones on 11 September, 1971.

The couple met one another in 1969 while working together at the Daily Mirror, where Smith was a cookery writer and he was the deputy editor of the newspaper's magazine.

Smith previously told BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs that she and Wynn-Jones bonded over their passion for food and football.

Despite being a fantastic cook, she revealed in a 2021 interview with The Times that she rarely cooked at home, leaving Wynn-Jones to hover over the stove while she went "to the end of the garden".

She also admitted that she didn't criticise her husband's cooking "if he sticks to the recipe".

The pair oversaw several Norwich City promotions to the Premier League and kept the team under secure financial footing, with Smith having a more prominent role while Wynn-Jones was regarded as a trusted advisor and influential figure in the boardroom.

Norwich City Fans Social Club said that the Lion and Castle in Norwich City Football Club would be open for supporters to raise a glass in Wynn-Jones' memory at the request of his family, with proceedings going towards the St Elizabeth Hospice.

They also said they would be working on a permanent tribute to Wynn-Jones' life at the stadium, as well as a tribute for an upcoming home fixture.

Kirsty is a freelance writer and editor specialising in all things entertainment. Over the past 16 years, she has worked on showbiz desks at various national newspaper websites in London, including Express.co.uk, The Sun, and MailOnline.

More recently, she spent three years living in New York City writing celebrity and lifestyle news for DailyMail.com, The Mirror US, and Daily Express US. Kirsty graduated from Southampton Solent with a BA in Magazine Journalism and Feature Writing. When she's not watching reruns of Sex and the City, you'll find her listening to David Bowie and daydreaming about an espresso martini.