His co-host\u00a0has also been hit with allegations of using racist language.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”credit-name” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Black Han Sans|||on|||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ header_4_font=”|||on|||||” header_4_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]
Words by Charley Ross<\/strong><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-1247556695-scaled.jpg” alt=”Gregg Wallace” title_text=”Investitures 2023: Gregg Wallace Among Recipients” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”] An investigation into allegations of MasterChef ex-host Gregg Wallace\u2019s misconduct has found that a total of 45 of 83 allegations against him during his time on the show have been substantiated. This included one allegation of \u2018unwelcome physical contact\u2019.<\/p>\n This comes after reports\u00a0were made that restaurant critic and columnist Grace Dent was set to replace Wallace on MasterChef, after having stepped in as guest judge while the BBC investigated allegations made against the host. This has not been confirmed yet.<\/p>\n The report found that the \u2018majority of the allegations against Wallace (94%) related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018\u2019, only one allegation was substantiated after 2018.<\/p>\n It also found that the \u2018majority of the substantiated allegations against Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour\u2019, and that \u2018a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated\u2019, with \u2018one incident of unwelcome physical contact\u2019 also substantiated.<\/p>\n After the review\u2019s findings \u2013 which was conducted by law firm Lewis Silkin \u2013 were announced, and his removal from MasterChef was confirmed, Wallace released a statement to the PA news agency.<\/p>\n The report described Wallace as \u2018cooperative and forthcoming\u2019 and was interviewed three times by the investigations team, for a total of 14 hours. But MasterChef\u2019s production company Banijay UK said that \u2018Wallace\u2019s return to MasterChef (is) untenable\u2019 due to the number of sustained allegations.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-490920973-scaled.jpg” alt=”Gregg Wallace” title_text=”The Caudwell Children Butterfly Ball” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”] \u2018For eight months, my family and I have lived under a cloud,\u2019 he said. \u2018Trial by media, fuelled by rumour and clickbait. None of the serious allegations against me were upheld. I challenged the remaining issue of unwanted touching, but have had to accept a difference in perception, and I am deeply sorry for any distress caused. It was never intended.<\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019m relieved that the report fully recognises that my behaviour changed profoundly in 2018. Some of my humour and language missed the mark. I never set out to harm or humiliate. I always tried to bring warmth and support to MasterChef, on screen and off.<\/p>\n \u2018After nearly 20 years on the show, I now see that certain patterns, shaped by traits I\u2019ve only recently begun to understand, may have been misread. I also accept that more could have been done, by others and by myself, to address concerns earlier.<\/p>\n Wallace added that a \u2018late autism diagnosis\u2019 helped him to \u2018 understand how I communicate and how I\u2019m perceived.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019m still learning,\u2019 he wrote, crediting Banijay for giving him \u2018great support, and I thank them\u2019. He referred to his treatment by the BBC as leaving him \u2018exposed to trial by media and the damage it leaves in its wake\u2019.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-quote” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”Libre Bodoni|||on|||||” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_text_color=”#333333″ header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” global_colors_info=”{}”] \u2018To those who\u2019ve shown kindness, thank you. It mattered. This has been brutal. For a working-class man with a direct manner, modern broadcasting has become a dangerous place. I was the headline this time. But I won\u2019t be the last.<\/p>\n \u2018There will be more casualties if the BBC continues down this path, where protecting its legacy matters more than protecting people. For my part, with full legal support, I will consider my next move.\u2019<\/p>\n It has also emerged that Wallace\u2019s co-presenter John Torode has received an allegation of using racist language. Reports say that Torode was asked by the BBC to \u2018resign and blame his mental health\u2019 after his alleged behaviour was included in the investigation into the Wallace allegations.<\/p>\n Torode took to Instagram to address rumours that he was the subject of the racist language allegation, confirming that he indeed was the individual \u2018who is alleged to have used racist language on one occasion\u2019 for the \u2018sake of transparency\u2019 after speculation.<\/p>\n \u2018The allegation is that I did so sometime in 2018 or 2019, in a social situation, and that the person I was speaking with did not believe that it was intended in a malicious way and that I apologised immediately afterwards,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n \u2018I have absolutely no recollection of any of this, and I do not believe that it happened. However, I want to be clear that I\u2019ve always had the view that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment.\u2019<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-1171394055-scaled.jpg” alt=”Gregg Wallace” title_text=”John Torode and Gregg Wallace attend The Childline Ball 2019″ _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”] The BBC has issued a statement apologising to those affected by Wallace\u2019s behaviour.<\/p>\n \u2018Although the full extent of these issues were not known at the relevant time, opportunities were missed to address this behaviour \u2013 both by the production companies running MasterChef and the BBC. We accept more could and should have been done sooner,\u2019\u00a0 it reads.<\/p>\n \u2018Lewis Silkin\u2019s findings include two further allegations which were upheld, relating to other individuals. The BBC takes these findings very seriously and we have asked Banijay UK to take action to address these issues, which is underway. This will be completed as a priority.\u2019<\/p>\n The BBC are also still in conversations when it comes to whether the latest, as-yet-unreleased season of Masterchef, featuring both Wallace and Torode, will air.<\/p>\n \u2018We know this is disappointing for fans of the show and those who took part, and at the appropriate time Banijay UK will consult further with the amateur contestants,\u2019 the BBC has said in a statement regarding their deliberations.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#111111″ divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”2px” module_class=”custom-divider” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text module_class=”credit-texts” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|||on|||||” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”] Photos: <\/b>Getty<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" His co-host\u00a0has also been hit with allegations of using racist language.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":12087,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12079","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"guestgrazia","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12079","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12079"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12079\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12095,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12079\/revisions\/12095"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12087"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12079"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}‘I’m still learning.’<\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]