Gregg Wallace has stepped down from MasterChef over allegations he made inappropriate sexual feedback on a spread of programmes over 17 years.
The 60-year-old, who has been a co-presenter and decide of the favored cooking present since 2005, is at present being investigated by MasterChef’s manufacturing firm Banijay UK after complaints have been made to the BBC final week.
However what precisely is Wallace accused of and what has he mentioned in response?
What are the allegations?
13 folks have complained “in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with Gregg Wallace” on Banijay UK programmes, in accordance with the corporate.
Considered one of them is broadcaster Kirsty Wark, who was a celeb contestant on MasterChef in 2011.
“I feel folks have been uncomfortable and [it was] one thing that I actually did not count on to occur.
“I was actually more angry than anything else, because I thought it was so inappropriate. And in a sense what I thought was it was about power more than anything else, that he felt he could,” Wark added.
This investigation comes after a earlier BBC assessment into stories of an alleged incident in 2018 when he appeared on Inconceivable Celebrities.
Reviews about that assessment, which discovered he might proceed working on the company, surfaced in October.
Wallace, who denied any wrongdoing, mentioned these claims had been investigated “promptly” on the time and that he had not mentioned “anything sexual” whereas showing on the sport present greater than half a decade in the past.
Extra allegations after investigation introduced
The announcement of Banijay UK’s investigation and Wallace’s subsequent departure from MasterChef has triggered extra allegations.
Sir Rod Stewart claimed on his Instagram story that Wallace “humiliated” his spouse Penny Lancaster whereas she was on MasterChef however “had that bit cut” from the printed.
Creator and actor Emma Kennedy, who gained Superstar MasterChef in 2012, mentioned she believes she noticed Wallace contact the underside of a younger girl who was working as a photographer’s assistant.
“As she was bending over, Gregg in front of me went and put his hands over her buttocks and then turned to me and went, ‘Cor’, and then was laughing as if this was a great joke,” she advised Ayesha Hazarika on Occasions Radio.
Kennedy mentioned she did not suppose he was “a sexual predator” however confronted him over his “completely inappropriate” behaviour.
She mentioned she reported the incident to an assistant producer, a producer and the top of PR at MasterChef on the time however did not get a proper response.
Presenter Kirstie Allsopp has claimed his behaviour was “totally unprofessional” after they filmed a TV pilot collectively, writing on social media: “Within 1 hour of meeting Gregg Wallace he told me of a sex act that he and his partner at the time enjoyed ‘every morning’. She’d just left the room, we were filming a pilot.”
She mentioned ladies allege a sample of behaviour that amounted to “bragging in a heightened sexual way” and utilizing graphic language she describes as “lewd” and “quite filthy” – typically when cameras have been nonetheless rolling.
Ms Elrick mentioned she compiled the allegations in a letter to the BBC, who replied requesting extra data and proof.
However she mentioned the response “kind of just missed the point” as a result of, for manufacturing employees, coming ahead is “very hard”.
Ms Elrick described the allegations in opposition to Wallace as “like one of these ‘open secrets'”. “I can’t see that they [the BBC] haven’t known about this for a while,” she added.
What has Wallace mentioned in regards to the newest allegations?
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Wallace refuses to remark
Whereas Wallace has circuitously addressed any of the allegations, he has reacted to them with a collection of Instagram movies.
In his first one, which he posted on Thursday 28 November, he thanked folks for his or her assist, saying: “I would like to thank all the people getting in touch, reaching out and showing their support. It’s good of you.
“Thanks very a lot.”
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Gregg Wallace thanks supporters
Then on Sunday 1 December, he posted a collection of different movies, during which he mentioned: “Now, I have been doing MasterChef for 20 years. Newbie, superstar {and professional} MasterChef and I feel in that point, I’ve labored with greater than 4,000 contestants of all totally different ages, all totally different backgrounds, all walks of life.
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1:09
Wallace responds to allegations
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?”
He additionally mentioned: “Do you know how many staff made a complaint about me in that time? Absolutely none. Zero. Seriously.”
He has now apologised for his preliminary response in one other Instagram story, saying: “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.
“I wasn’t in a great head house once I posted it. I have been underneath an enormous quantity of stress a whole lot of emotion. I felt very alone, underneath siege yesterday once I posted it.
“It’s obvious to me I need to take some time out now while this investigation is under way. I hope you understand and I do hope you accept this apology.”
What has Banijay UK mentioned?
The corporate mentioned Wallace was “committed to fully cooperating throughout the process” of its investigation.
“Whilst these complainants have not raised the allegations directly with our show producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel that it is appropriate to conduct an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate,” the corporate mentioned.
“While this review is under way, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully co-operating throughout the process.
“Banijay UK’s obligation of care to employees is at all times a precedence and our expectations relating to behaviour are made clear to each solid and crew on all productions, with a number of methods of elevating issues, together with anonymously, clearly promoted on set.
“Whilst these are historical allegations, incidences brought to our attention where these expectations are not met, are thoroughly investigated and addressed appropriately.”
The corporate has additionally referred to as for anybody wishing to report allegations of misconduct to contact Lewis Silkin, a authorized agency appointed to guide an investigation.
What has the BBC mentioned?
A BBC spokesperson mentioned: “We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them. We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.
“The place a person is contracted straight by an exterior manufacturing firm we share any complaints or issues with that firm and we are going to at all times assist them when addressing them.
“It would be inappropriate for us to comment on anything that could form part of Banijay’s ongoing investigation or otherwise influence it.”
Wallace allegations ‘the tip of the iceberg’
“I was horrified,” he mentioned.
“I’d never seen anything like it, genuinely, I was really quite shocked at that really toxic environment.
“What I witnessed… as a contestant was that there was a systemic drawback that was bigger than simply him, for my part.
“Gregg… would occasionally crack jokes that in different ways felt inappropriate but he wasn’t the only one.”
The contestant mentioned he was “not for one second wanting to let Gregg Wallace off the hook, but I don’t think it’s just him”.
“My concern is that he’s being totally scapegoated for a culture that… was more often than not about mocking. It was offensive.”
He added: “You know, I think it’s good that these things are coming out and I’m glad that people are speaking up, it’s brilliant. But I do think it’s the tip of the iceberg. I think if you were to really unravel and look at what was going on in that culture at large you’d see a lot more, you know, abuse.”
He claimed he heard a whole lot of profanity on set.
“I mean, there was effings and c**** and twats and all sorts and that that was the kind of language you kind of got used to, particularly from some of the camera crew, but also a couple of the producers too. He [Wallace] was the least sweary person,” he mentioned.
“I think I got off pretty lightly, but I’d see the other contestants and just [be] thinking I would have been very upset if that person had that said that to me.”
He advised Spencer it “certainly wasn’t everyone” and that some folks on set have been “incredibly respectful and very professional”.
He added: “It was all men… I don’t think I ever witnessed any of the women taking part in it. I think there was a kind of disconnection within the team at large… between some of the men and the women.”
A BBC supply mentioned: “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 proceed to induce warning about pre-judging any of this, notably the involvement of BBC employees members and any inference they haven’t acted appropriately.”
