 "Gregg Wallace at Tramshed in London, February 16, 2017. File Image/AP")
Gregg Wallace, the long-standing host of MasterChef UK, is at the centre of a storm of allegations spanning nearly two decades.
The accusations against Gregg Wallace date back to 2005 and involve 13 individuals who worked with him across five shows. These include MasterChef, Celebrity MasterChef, Eat Well for Less?, Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekends, and Impossible Celebrities.
Many women allege that Wallace made inappropriate sexual comments, shared explicit details of his personal life, and behaved unprofessionally on set.
One male worker from MasterChef (2005-2006) recalled Wallace making sexually explicit comments regularly, including comparing a dish to his aunt’s anatomy and asking a female colleague if she engaged in specific intimate acts with her boyfriend, reported The Guardian.
Dr. Kate Tomas, a former MasterChef contestant in 2008, accused Wallace of sexual harassment, describing his behaviour as “disgusting and repulsive.” She also alleged racist behaviour, claiming Wallace imitated an Indian accent in front of a staff member. Tomas refused to return to the show when invited later, calling him a “racist piece of shit.”
Who is Gregg Wallace?
Gregg Wallace is a British television presenter, food expert, and former greengrocer best known for co-hosting the BBC cooking competition MasterChef and its spin-offs, including Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals.
Born on October 17, 1964, in Peckham, London, Wallace began his career in the food industry as a greengrocer before transitioning to television.
In addition to MasterChef, Wallace has presented other food-related shows, such as Eat Well for Less? and Inside the Factory. Wallace has been a prominent figure in British television since the mid-2000s.
Specific incidents on set
Journalist Kirsty Wark, who appeared on Celebrity MasterChef in 2011, said Wallace’s sexualised jokes made people “uncomfortable.” She claimed to have raised the issue with production executives, who reportedly dismissed it as a recurring problem, adding that Wallace would only be “pulled back” if his behaviour became “too egregious.”
In 2012, Celebrity MasterChef winner Emma Kennedy witnessed Wallace touch a female assistant’s bottom and commented suggestively. She said Wallace’s behaviour was not predatory but inappropriate and unprofessional.
A worker on Big Weekends in 2019 claimed Wallace frequently discussed his fascination with lesbian relationships, asking intrusive questions about the “logistics” of dating women. Another woman reported that Wallace showed her photos of a woman in lingerie and later removed his shirt in his hotel room, claiming he was giving her a “fashion show.”
In 2019, Wallace reportedly told a female colleague on Eat Well For Less? that he wasn’t wearing boxer shorts under his jeans, reported The Guardian. Another woman claimed Wallace joked that people would assume she had “got off with a celebrity” after helping him with a parking ticket.
Kirstie Allsopp, co-host of Location, Location, Location, alleged that Wallace made inappropriate comments about a sexual act within an hour of meeting her. On X (formerly Twitter), she shared her discomfort, stating: “Did he get off on how embarrassed I was? It was totally unprofessional.”
Singer Sir Rod Stewart added his voice, calling Wallace an “ill-mannered bully” in an Instagram post. Stewart accused Wallace of humiliating his wife during her appearance on MasterChef in 2021.
Dawn Elrick, a producer who submitted a letter on behalf of women with complaints in 2022, criticised the TV industry’s mechanisms for addressing harassment. She said: “There is no satisfactory means of reporting sexual harassment and bullying within the TV industry.”
What has Wallace said?
Wallace has strongly denied the allegations. He called the claims false in a video, highlighting his long career and the diverse individuals he has worked with.
“I’ve been doing MasterChef for 20 years… over 4,000 contestants of all ages and backgrounds. Apparently, there are 13 complaints from a handful of middle-class women of a certain age, just from Celebrity MasterChef. This isn’t right,” he said.
Later in a video shared on Instagram, he apologised for using the phrase “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age.”
“I want to apologise for any offence that I caused with my post yesterday, and any upset I may have caused to a lot of people,” he said. “I wasn’t in a good head space when I posted it. I’ve been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion, I felt very alone, under siege, yesterday, when I posted it.”
“It’s obvious to me I need to take some time out while this investigation is under way. I hope you understand and I do hope that you will accept this apology.”
He also claimed that staff from his other shows, including Eat Well For Less? and Inside the Factory, had never complained about him.
The production company Banijay UK announced that Wallace would step down from MasterChef during an independent investigation.
Banijay UK said last week in a statement: “While this review is under way, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully cooperating throughout the process. 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, with multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously, clearly promoted on set.”
The BBC, while distancing itself from Wallace due to his work with external production companies, stated that any behaviour falling below their standards would not be tolerated.
Downing Street has labelled the allegations “deeply concerning,” urging a thorough investigation while withholding further comment.
With inputs from agencies