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TV host and broadcaster Gregg Wallace recently stepped down from his duties as MasterChef presenter and judge, a role he held since 2005. His departure comes amid allegations of inappropriate comments he made while filming various shows he worked on throughout the years.
According to reports, 13 people have accused the presenter of making indecent comments, one of them being Kirsty Wark, a former BBC Newsnight presenter who competed in MasterChef in 2011. According to Wark, Wallace used “sexualized language” in front of others. She sensed that those present felt uncomfortable, and no one exchanged remarks with the host. “It wasn’t as if anyone engaged with this. It was completely one-way traffic,” Wark added. Additional allegations claim that Wallace openly talked about his sex life, made sexual jokes, and in one instance, removed his shirt in front of a female co-worker.
One famous personality who had something to say about Wallace’s purported behavior is music legend Rod Stewart. The singer took to Instagram and wrote, in part, “You humiliated my wife when she was on the show, but you had that bit cut out didn’t you? You’re a tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully. Karma got ya.”
Stewart’s wife, Penny Lancaster, competed in Celebrity MasterChef in 2021. Lancaster came close to reaching the semi-finals but was eliminated after preparing a stunning dish, but exceeding the allotted time to do it. As of now, what happened during the scenes Stewart mentioned being cut from the show remains the subject of speculation.
Wallace is cooperating in the investigation
Wallace went on Instagram to post a video after his departure from MasterChef. He thanked his supporters for reaching out but otherwise didn’t address the accusations against him. His lawyers, however, have released a statement saying that the claims are false and that Wallace never engaged in sexually harassing behavior.
According to BBC, Wallace had been warned by the network in 2018 after receiving complaints about his behavior in an appearance on Impossible Celebrities. Back then, two women reported Wallace making “disgusting” sex jokes, talking about how many times he’s having sex, and bragging about how good he was as a lover. Written reports and letters show that Wallace had a serious meeting with a BBC executive. As for the outcome of those complaints, the presenter ended up apologizing and counseling was made available to the complainants.
The 2018 issue was reignited this year, and Wallace addressed it by saying it was investigated, and the result was the comments he made weren’t deemed sexual. “I repeat, not sexual,” he said. He went on to say that he loved his wife and didn’t want anyone to “misunderstand” the situation and make it appear as if he was “flirting.”
Banijay UK, the producer of MasterChef, has started an external investigation into the matter. The production company stated that it is doing this in order to “fully and impartially” investigate the allegations. “Banijay UK’s duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions,” the statement read. Furthermore, Banijay UK said Wallace has agreed to fully cooperate during the investigation.