Jean-Christophe Novelli reveals raising his autistic son Valentino has been an ‘enormous challenge’

Jean-Christophe Novelli has admitted raising his autistic son Valentino is an ‘enormous challenge’ and he and fiancé Michelle Kennedy have been to hospital three times in the last week with him. 

The French chef, 60, and his other half described caring for their three-year-old son, who is nonverbal, as a 24-hour job, with Michelle worrying how he will communicate with others when he is older. 

Appearing on Wednesday’s episode of Loose Women, Jean-Christophe said: ‘Valentino is an amazing boy but it is an enormous challenge and something we had to learn to adapt. There is not a single day off. 

‘Sometimes it can be 24 hours a day. I think we should not be ashamed, it is what it is. We have had to learn a lot. The thing is, we want to give him so much.’

Valentino was diagnosed autism in December 2019, little more than a year after overcoming stage four neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.  

The couple have faced health challenges with Valentino during Britain’s lockdown with Jean-Christophe telling how they have made frequent trips to hospital.

He said: ‘This week, we’ve been to the hospital three times and this is a place no one wants to go. The NHS what they do every single day is fantastic. 

‘You know they are on top of it. It’s always difficult with a young child and I’m sure there is worse.’

Speaking about his communication skills, Michelle said: ‘That is a massive fear [for parents of an autistic child], their son or daughter can’t communicate. 

‘Valentino doesn’t seem to be able to understand and that’s a massive debilitating worry for us. 

‘The future is far away but you can’t help but get your head in a spin, thinking of your child not being able to communicate forever. When you’ve got that nagging at the back of your mind, it is quite difficult.’

Michelle told how during Valentino’s battle with cancer, doctors discovered he had a 15q deletion, a rare genetic condition in which there is a missing copy of part of the genetic material that makes up one of the body’s 46 chromosomes.

She said: ‘He had cancer as a baby, they ran all sorts of tests on him and found he had a genetic deletion, 15q. When we found that out, they said there would be a 50pc chance he would have it, 50pc chance he wouldn’t. 

‘I know a lot of parents are fighting and struggling knowing there is something different about their child but they’re struggling to get a diagnosis but we got that early. He’s got a limp at the moment. It’s frightening. Everything is heightened.’

Michelle, who is also mother to Jean, 11, and Jacques, seven with Jean-Christophe, admitted she has relished spending so much time with him during lockdown. 

She said: ‘It’s great having Jean-Christophe here. It’s difficult for Jean, he can’t go over to Belfast with his restaurant. But at the same time, he’s with us and with young children, we’re blessed. 

‘I always think, look at the positives. I’m blessed to have Jean around here. You can tell when he’s been away because the kids have been feral.’

Jean-Christophe believes Valentino’s autism diagnosis has brought him closer with his siblings, with Michelle adding: ‘Adversity can push the siblings into a place of responsibility. It’s hard, of course it is, on them.

‘It’s about breaking down the stigma. At the end of the day, it’s so important to break down that stigma of these types of mental health problems.’ 

It comes after the chef previously admitted spending an extended period of time with his loved ones has given him a better understanding of Valentino’s condition and his unique way of communicating with his parents.

‘Being in the house so much now, I realise I was in denial about what was going on with Valentino,’ he told OK! magazine.

‘Before, I could be away for six weeks. Now I can clearly see it and it’s not easy. When you love someone you think everything should be positive. I’m still very positive but I can see that there is a lot of struggle there. 

‘It’s been very difficult for Michelle and the boys. We don’t have a nanny or an au pair. It’s also been very difficult because I’m out of my comfort zone while I’m not working.’ 

Equally challenging has been the struggle to communicate with Valentino, who is frequently left frustrated in his efforts to connect with his parents as he can’t speak. 

‘He is very frustrated. He can’t even say mummy or daddy, he just takes your hands. I feel a little bit sad in a way. It’s very challenging,’ Jean-Christophe explained.

Valentino’s autism diagnosis came after successful treatment to beat Neuroblastoma, a cancer of specialised nerve cells in the nervous system and other tissues.

Fewer than 100 children in the UK are diagnosed each year with the disease, and most of them are under five.

The cancer can spread to tissues beyond the original site, including bone marrow, bone, lymph nodes, liver and skin.