Claims have emerged that Gregg Wallace told TV chef Gizzi Erskin she couldn’t possibly be a real chef because she is a woman.
The 60-year-old presenter stepped back from the cooking show after twenty years, as various allegations emerged that he had made sexual comments to staff and guests. Wallace has vehemently denied all accusations.
“The allegations were investigated by the BBC six years ago, and my comments were found to be not sexual. I repeat not sexual,” he has said. MasterChef guest Grace Dent has been confirmed as his replacement to co-host alongside John Torode.
Erskine, the Cook Yourself Thin star, has starred on various TV programmes including her own shows as well as daytime shows such as This Morning.
The 45-year-old is reported to have said she got into a “huge argument” with Wallace after he made the comment to her and fellow chef and MasterChef contestant Sophie Michell.
“‘It’s really interesting seeing what’s going on with Gregg Wallace, because me and him had a huge argument,” she told the Go To Food podcast, according to the MailOnline.
“He told me and Sophie Michell that we weren’t real chefs, and we couldn’t possibly be because we were women,” Erskine is claimed to have said.
“It might have been through direct messages. Something started, so we jumped in and then it all went really aggy. There is an insidious side to that side of it. I definitely get treated differently to the men in the room. There is no doubt about it.”
When The Independent listened to the podcast, which was quoted by The Mail, the quotes were not available. However, The Mail and Telegraph continue to report the story.
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When approached, representatives for Erskine declined to comment on the matter, while Wallace’s representatives pointed out that the quotes were not in the podcast.
Erskine further hinted that Wallace was not alone in his treatment, as she referred to “grimy experiences with some grimy celebrity chefs” but did not mention any further names.
It was reported that the BBC had been made aware of complaints against Wallace as far back as 2017, while it was claimed that a letter had been sent to the broadcaster in 2022 stating that women had been made to feel “uncomfortable” in his presence.
A BBC spokesperson has said about the allegations against Wallace: “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.
“Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them.”
The BBC has since decided to cancel the pre-recorded Celebrity MasterChef festive specials, with BBC News reporting that the celebrity contestants involved in the episodes have been “spoken to about the reasons behind the decision to pull the show”.