MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace in November 2024, stepped aside as the show’s host amid sexual allegations reported by the BBC. Following MasterChef’s investigation into the public accusations, Wallace has recently released a statement defending himself against what he calls “baseless and sensationalized gossip.”
In the report published on November 28, 2024, BBC News reported that 13 people had accused the former MasterChef host of inappropriate sexual comments. One of whom is Broadcaster Kirsty Wark, a Celebrity MasterChef contestant in 2011. Wark accused Wallace of making sexualised jokes during filming. While describing her experience on the show as joyous and fantastic, Wark noted that, in her words, “the fly in the ointment, on occasion, was Wallace.” Other allegations included Wallace discussing his sex life with a female worker, showing topless pictures of himself and asking for massages from another, and blatantly staring at a female worker’s chest. Wallace’s lawyers denied all allegations then and Wallace still stands on this defense as he stated on his Instagram page.
MasterChef producer Banijay UK launched an immediate investigation into these allegations. The investigation, carried out by Silkins’s law firm, lasted nine months. Throughout this period, Wallace was asked to step down as host. Wallace’s post comes before Silkins has made any public reports administering his innocence or guilt. He accused the BBC News of chasing slanderous clickbait rather than delivering impartial journalism.
“The Silkins Report Exonerates Me Of All The Serious Allegations”: Wallace Defends Himself
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While accusing BBC News of, in his words, “uncorroborated tittle tattle”, Wallace’s five-slide Instagram post also claims he has been cleared of the most serious allegations made against him. He claimed Silkins found them to be baseless after a full and forensic investigation.
Wallace in his statement made it clear that his most damaging claims including those from public figures which could include Wark were found to be false. Reflecting on his 21 years of service to the BBC, the TV host accused the broadcasting company of not investigating his autism before it was formally diagnosed. He stated that he was hired as a real person with warmth and rough edges — an authenticity that was never a problem to begin with, and was in fact considered a part of the brand for over two decades. He attacked them for trying to quietly bury their failure of not protecting him from what he now realized was a dangerous environment.
To conclude his statement, Wallace apologized for the only thing he was found guilty of — inappropriate language. He declared that he would not be cancelled for convenience and questioned the BBC’s upcoming executive summary of Silkin’s report claiming that it would not contain some other people who have been found guilty of serious allegations. “The full story of this incredible injustice must be told and it is very much a matter of public interest,” he stated.
MasterChef’s Series 21 will air on BBC One and will feature John Torode as judge.
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MasterChef |
|---|---|
| Cast | Gregg Wallace, John Torode |
| Release Date | July 2, 1990 (UK Revival in 2005) |
| Stream On | BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Tubi |
| Directed by | Various (Format-based production) |
| Produced by | Shine TV |
| Based On | Original format by Franc Roddam |
| Plot Summary | A competitive cooking show where amateur chefs face culinary challenges to win the title of MasterChef |
| Musical Elements | Instrumental theme and score by Ken Bolam (UK version) |
| Current Status | Ongoing (UK and global adaptations) |
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