Gregg Wallace will step down from presenting MasterChef while allegations of misconduct are investigated, the show’s production company has announced.
This comes after BBC News sent a letter to Wallace’s representatives on Tuesday detailing allegations of sexual misconduct by 13 people who worked with him on various shows over a 16-year period.
Broadcaster Kirsty Wark, who was a Celebrity MasterChef contestant in 2011, said she made “sex” jokes during filming.
Wallace’s lawyers say it is completely false that he engages in sexually abusive behavior. Masterchef production company Banijay UK launched an investigation and said Wallace was working with them.
Wark, who is best known for hosting BBC Newsnight, told BBC News that on two occasions, during filming in the early hours of the morning, Wallace made “sexual” jokes and stories in front of contestants and staff.
He said he felt strongly that the comments “were in the wrong place”.
Some of the allegations we heard included Wallace openly talking about his sex life, taking off his top in front of a female employee saying he wanted to “give her a fashion show”, and telling a young female co-worker that she wasn’t wearing any boxers. shorts under his jeans.
BBC News has also heard from a former MasterChef employee who says he showed her inappropriate photos and asked for massages, and a former employee on Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekend, who says he was impressed by the fact that he fell in love with women and asked for things. how it worked.
‘It’s unacceptable and it doesn’t matter’
We also saw that Wallace was warned by the BBC after complaints were raised about him in 2018 about the show Impossible Celebrities.
An official HR review took place and, in the letter of the results, which we have seen, the BBC concluded that “most of the things [Wallace’s] behavior that was unacceptable and unnecessary”.
In a subsequent letter, which we have also seen, the head of the BBC said he had held a 90-minute meeting with Wallace to clarify “how seriously the BBC takes this matter”. He also assured workers that action would be taken “to prevent it from happening again and to protect others in the future”.
But other events emerged.
BBC News began investigating Wallace in the spring, after learning of the allegations. The proposals we heard are for five shows, from 2005 to 2022.
BBC News is independent from the larger organisation.
Announcing their investigation on Thursday, Banijay UK said in a statement: “This week the BBC received complaints from people about crowd misconduct while working with presenter Gregg Wallace on one of our shows.”
Wallace, 60, is “committed to working fully throughout the process,” it added.
Quick external inspection
“Although these complainants have not raised these issues directly with our show producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel it is necessary to carry out an immediate external review in order to conduct a full and impartial investigation,” said Banijay.
“While this investigation is ongoing, Gregg Wallace will be stepping down from his role on MasterChef and is committed to co-operating in this process.
“Banijay UK’s employee welfare is always at the forefront and our expectations in terms of behavior are made clear to all cast and crew on all productions, with many ways to raise concerns, including anonymity, clearly promoted on set.
“Although these are historical statements, incidents brought to our attention where these expectations are not met, are investigated and dealt with appropriately.”
Banijay’s words ended by encouraging anyone who wants to talk about any issue or it is difficult to come.
A BBC spokesman said: “We take all issues raised with us very seriously and have a robust approach to dealing with them.
“We are always clear that any behavior that falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.
“When someone is contracted directly by an external manufacturing company we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we always support them when they resolve it.”
Episodes of MasterChef: The Professionals with Wallace that have already been recorded will air as scheduled, with the next episode due to air on Thursday night.
Wallace has presented the popular BBC One cookery show alongside John Torode since 2005, as well as its spin-offs Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals.
Wallace was the first presenter of the 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.
She took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2014, and was recognized in the Queen’s Birthday Honors in 2022 for her services to food and charity.