Masterchef’s Gregg Wallace steps aside as host as allegations are investigated
BBC/Shine TVGreg Wallace is quitting MasterChef amid an investigation into allegations of historical misconduct, the show’s production company said.
It comes after BBC News sent a letter to Wallace’s representatives on Tuesday accusing 13 people who had worked with him on a series of programs over 17 years of making inappropriate sexual comments.
Broadcaster Kirsty Wark, a 2011 Celebrity Chef contestant, said he told “sexualized” jokes during filming.
Wallace’s attorneys say the suggestion that he engaged in conduct of a sexually harassing nature is simply false. Masterchef’s production company, Banijay UK, has launched an investigation and said it is cooperating.
Walker, best known for hosting BBC Newsnight, told BBC News that on two occasions during early morning filming, Wallace told stories and jokes of a “sexualized nature” in front of contestants and staff.
She said she felt strongly the comments were “really, really wrong.”
Other allegations we heard include Greg Wallace talking openly about his sex life, taking off his shirt in front of a female employee and saying he wanted to “give her a fashion show” and telling a junior woman Colleague He wasn’t wearing any clothes. Wearing boxer shorts under jeans.
BBC News also found that Wallace was warned by the BBC after a complaint was made in 2018, but further incidents have since emerged.
BBC News began investigating Wallace this summer after becoming aware of the allegations. The claims we heard involve five shows from 2005 to 2022.
“This week, the BBC received complaints from a number of individuals regarding allegations of inappropriate behavior while working with presenter Gregg Wallace on one of our programmes,” Banijay UK said in a statement announcing the investigation.
Wallace, 60, “is committed to cooperating fully throughout this process,” the statement added.
“While these complainants have not made allegations directly to our programmers or parent company Banijay UK, we believe it is appropriate to conduct an immediate external review to conduct a full and impartial investigation,” it continued.
“Greg Wallace will be stepping down from MasterChef while the review is ongoing and is committed to cooperating fully throughout the process.
“Banijay UK’s duty of care to its employees is always a top priority and we have clear expectations for behavior from cast and crew on all productions and raise concerns in a variety of ways, including anonymously, clearly publicized on set.
“While these are historical allegations, we are aware of incidents where these expectations were not met and we will investigate them thoroughly and address them appropriately.”
The statement added: “If anyone would like to speak to us or raise any questions or concerns then they can contact speakupbanijayuk.com confidentially.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “We take any concerns raised with us seriously and have robust processes in place to deal with them.
“We have always been clear that anything below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.
“Where an individual is contracted directly to an external production company, we will share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them as we resolve these issues.”
BBC/Shine TVAccording to the PA news agency, the recorded episodes of MasterChef: The Professionals starring Wallace will be broadcast as planned, with the next episode airing on Thursday night.
Since 2005, Wallace has presented the popular BBC One cooking show with John Torode, as well as its spin-off shows Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals.
Wallace was the original presenter of BBC show Saturday Kitchen in 2002 and has also appeared on Eat Well For Less, Inside The Factory, Turn Back Time, Harvest and Supermarket Secrets Served as a special program.
He competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2014 and received a Queen’s Birthday Honors in 2022 for his contribution to food and charity.
He has two children, Tom and Libby, from a previous relationship. He married Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2016 and they have a son named Sid.
