Gregg Wallace newest: BBC airs MasterChef as ex-host blames ‘middle class women’ jibe on feeling ‘under siege’

Is the fate of a television cookery presenter more important than Syrian insurgents seizing Aleppo and the turmoil on the streets in Georgia? The BBC thinks so, based on its news judgements in recent days, which have seen exhaustive coverage of the accusations against Gregg Wallace take precedence over matters of life and death around the world.

Once again, the “independence” of BBC News has been trumpeted in its ability to report on the corporation’s own business – but for many, it reflects a self-obsession and lack of perspective which questions the judgement of the news division. Senior BBC executives share this view, I know, but they feel powerless to intervene without the risk of being accused of corporate cover-ups.

Former head of BBC news, Roger Mosey, writes:

TV chef Tom Kerridge said he has always known Gregg Wallace to be “full of jokes”.

“And he’s always full of charisma. And that front of camera charisma is always something that continues into off-screen as well”, Mr Kerridge told Sky News’ Politics hub.

Gregg Wallace has faced a series of accusations since it was announced he would step away from presenting hit BBC cooking show MasterChef while complaints about historical allegations of misconduct are externally reviewed.

The presenter, 60, faces various claims of making “inappropriate sexual jokes” and complaints about his behaviour, with his lawyer saying “it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”.

Here is a timeline of events:

Downing Street has said Gregg Wallace’s response to the accusations being made against him was “inappropriate and misogynistic”.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has since held talks with BBC bosses in the wake of the Wallace row, Downing Street said.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Culture Secretary spoke with the BBC leadership at the end of last week on this matter and wider workplace culture issues to seek assurances that there are robust processes in place to deal with complaints.

“Clearly the comments we have seen from the individual over the weekend were completely inappropriate and misogynistic.

“More broadly the BBC is conducting an independent review into workplace culture which must deliver clear and timely recommendations. It’s essential that staff and the wider public have confidence that the BBC takes these issues seriously.”

Asked whether MasterChef should be pulled off air, the spokesman added the decision was for the BBC and the show’s production company, and reiterated that Downing Street believes it is “right” that a thorough investigation is conducted.

Gregg Wallace says head ‘not in a good place’ in new apology

A visibly emotional Gregg Wallace has apologised after posting a video saying complaints about his alleged inappropriate behaviour came from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”.

In a new Instagram message, posted on Monday, the MasterChef presenter said his head was “not in a good place” and that he is “under a lot of stress”.

My colleague Lucy Leeson reports:

Downing Street has warned that it is “essential that staff and the wider public have confidence” that the BBC takes issues relating to workplace culture seriously.

After revealing that culture secretary Lisa Nandy spoke to BBC bosses last week after the Gregg Wallace row began, No 10 said: “More broadly the BBC is conducting an independent review into workplace culture which must deliver clear and timely recommendations.

“It’s essential that staff and the wider public have confidence that the BBC takes these issues seriously.”

Downing Street has condemned Gregg Wallace’s remarks characterising those who have complained about his alleged comments as being “middle-class women of a certain age”.

Asked about Wallace’s remarks, Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesperson was cited as saying by the Telegraph: “On this, as we said last week these allegations are obviously deeply concerning. It’s right that a thorough investigation is conducted.

“Obviously that’s for the BBC and the production company but I would add that the Culture Secretary spoke with the BBC leadership at the end of last week on this matter and wider workplace culture issues to seek assurances that there are robust processes in place to deal with the complaints.

“And as you know clearly the comments that we’ve seen from the individual over the weekend were completely inappropriate and misogynistic.”

Gregg Wallace, 60, is best known for co-presenting MasterChef alongside John Torode since 2005, as well as its spin-offs Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals.

He was the original presenter of the BBC show Saturday Kitchen in 2002 and has also featured on Eat Well For Less, Inside The Factory, Turn Back Time, Harvest, and Supermarket Secrets.

He was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2022 for his services to food and charity. Mr Wallace took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2014 and was partnered with Aliona Vilani.

He has two children, Tom and Libby, from a former relationship. He married Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2016 and the couple have a son called Sid.

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy held talks with BBC bosses to seek assurances that “there are rohbust processes in place to deal with complaints” in the wake of the Gregg Wallace row, Downing Street has said.

Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesperson said that Ms Nandy “spoke with the BBC leadership at the end of last week on this matter and wider workplace culture issues”.

A BBC source has said it would be wrong to report that the broadcaster has not acted when complaints have been raised.

The 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.”

BBC executive Kate Phillips raised concerns in 2017 that Gregg Wallace’s behaviour was “unacceptable and cannot continue” after former Celebrity MasterChef contestant Aasmah Mir complained about inappropriate comments during filming, the Sunday Times has reported.

The newspaper claimed Wallace then received another warning the following year after a complaint was raised about his behaviour on the quiz show Impossible Celebrities.