Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world
Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email
Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email
The BBC is facing further criticism over its handling of allegations against Gregg Wallace amid a furious backlash to the MasterChef host’s claim that accusations about him making sexual comments towards staff and guests have come from “middle-class women of a certain age”.
Wallace stepped back from the cooking show on Thursday as a string of allegations emerged over the 60-year-old, including him making inappropriate sexual jokes, asking the phone numbers of female members of production staff and undressing in front of women.
Over the weekend, reports emerged that the BBC was made aware of complaints as far back as 2017, while it was claimed that a letter was sent to the broadcaster in 2022 which stated that women had been left to feel “uncomfortable” in his presence.
On Sunday morning, Wallace responded to the accusations in a video posted on Instagram, claiming they had come from “middle-class women of a certain age”, and declared “this isn’t right”.
He added: “In 20 years, over 20 years of television, can you imagine how many women, female contestants on MasterChef, have made sexual remarks, or sexual innuendo? Can you imagine?”
His comments sparked backlash on social media with a host of famous faces, including Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, David Baddiel and Kirstie Allsopp, also responding.
Fearnley-Whittingstall appeared on the BBC and said Wallace making these comments is “not wise”, adding that “at the moment he should probably be listening”, while Allsopp – who met the presenter when they were filming a pilot for a TV show – described him as “totally unprofessional”.
Ms Allsopp added: “That is unacceptable. Because he is essentially saying this is a class issue and middle-class women don’t understand the type of things he says because he’s working-class. Well I’m sorry, but he’s doing a incredible disservice to men.”
A former MasterChef contestant, meanwhile, described the allegations as “the tip of the iceberg”.
Despite the complaints made, the BBC confirmed to The Independent that future episodes of MasterChef: The Professionals with Wallace are still slated to air on the broadcaster, while two Christmas specials are planned for the festive season.
A spokesperson told The Independent: “Right now the plan is, if it’s already been recorded, it will go out.”
Over the weekend, it emerged that BBC executive Kate Phillips reportedly raised concerns about Wallace’s behaviour saying they were “unacceptable and cannot continue” as far back as 2017.
It came after the broadcaster received a complaint from former Celebrity MasterChef contestant Aasmah Mir, who said that Wallace had made inappropriate comments during filming.
Meanwhile, producer Georgia Harding, who worked on MasterChef between 2014 and 2015, alleged the presenter undressed in front of his colleagues and made “inappropriate sexual jokes” in front of staff and guests.
She said that despite the complaints, “nothing was done” and there was an “acceptance” regarding his on-set mannerisms.
Wallace was also accused of making lewd comments and asking for the personal phone numbers of female production staff in a letter that Dawn Elrick, a producer and director, claimed to have sent to the BBC in 2022.
Elrick told the Observer that the letter had been submitted with the support of industry union Bectu, and added she also submitted the allegations to the corporation via Navex Global, an external whistleblowing service.
She claimed the BBC suggested each individual would have to make their own, direct complaint to the corporation, and said she had received no further contact with regards to the report.
A BBC source said: “While we are not going to comment on individuals or any internal HR processes, particularly when there is an ongoing process in place being run by Banijay who have the direct contractual relationship with Gregg Wallace it would be wrong to report the BBC has done nothing if or when matters have been raised with us – not least because it is already being widely reported there were interventions in both 2017 and 2018 where action was taken.
“We continue to urge caution about pre-judging any of this, particularly the involvement of BBC staff members and any inference they have not acted appropriately.”
The Independent understands that Wallace is contracted by Banijay for MasterChef on a series-by-series basis, and he will not be contracted for future series while the investigation is ongoing.
Wallace’s lawyers said “it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”.
Allegations were also raised by staff members about Wallace’s behaviour on Channel 5’s Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekends to BBC News, with producer Rumpus Media saying it would be investigating allegations of “inappropriate behaviour”.
He faces allegations of inappropriate sexual comments from 13 people across a range of shows over a 17-year period, as reported by BBC News, which said it sent a letter to the TV star’s representatives earlier this week.
Source: independent.co.uk
