BBC star calls out Gregg Wallace's 'sad' behaviour: 'The more we speak up, the better'

Gregg Wallace stepped away from MasterChef last month. (Image: BBC)

The Apprentice's Harpreet Kaur-Thakrar has called out Gregg Wallace's behaviour as "sad" and adds: "The more we speak up, the better."

TV star Harpreet won the BBC contest in 2022 with her dessert business Oh So Yum!, which she shares with her sister, Gurvinder Kaur.

She now wants to expand her food empire - but admits she is sometimes undermined by men who question her position as an entrepreneur.

She told Express Online: "I don't want to say too much about the Gregg Wallace case, but it is really sad to see that these things happen.

"In terms of my personal experience, I've had comments before when you're setting up a business [and they ask], 'Oh, is this your business?'

Harpreet says Gregg Wallace's behaviour is "bad" (Image: Getty)

"We do have more challenges as females. I think in regards to the food industry, it can be because it demands very long hours and you're having to juggle so many different things to get that final product or thing on the table and you are dealing with a lot of males in the industry.

"But what I would also say is that women are empowered more than ever before.

"You know, we have the support available to us. We have knowledge. We have the education and we have the resources to be able to make a better kind of life and grounding for us all. I'm South Asian. So I've even had to deal with the Asian factor on top of it."

She believes that it will take a while to stamp out toxic behaviours but adds: "The more we speak up, the better.

"It's a good thing that women now feel empowered enough to be able to speak about these things without it being brushed under the carpet."

Gregg Wallace apologised for his 'middle class women' comments. (Image: Instagram)

Last week we revealed top BBC journalists launched a probe into Wallace's behaviour - and are set to uncover a string of new allegations.

One insider claims the allegations "stretch back many more years and involve a number of new incidents".

The Beeb's investigation has already heard from 13 people across a range of ages, who worked across five different shows.

They include the broadcaster Kirsty Wark, who appeared on Celebrity MasterChef, as well as production workers and freelancers.

Wallace, 60, apologised for claiming complaints about his behaviour came from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”, adding he will “take some time out”.

BBC bosses said they would be supporting MasterChef production company Banijay UK as it investigates allegations of misconduct against Wallace, after he stepped away from hosting the BBC One cooking show.

Harpreet has teamed up with Microsoft and AI tools. (Image: Supplied)

Harpreet has teamed up with Microsoft and AI tools, including Copilot+, to help time poor Brits get more creative and organised than ever before.

It comes as new research reveals that over half of Brits (53 percent) feel overwhelmed and uninspired during the holidays, often having to cut back on the personal touches and traditions that make the holidays magical.

This is Harpreet's first Christmas as a married woman. She tied the knot with her co-star Akshay Thakrar earlier this year. She says they're having Christmas just the two of them, which she planned using Microsoft's AI tools.

She said: "This year we are doing something a bit different and we're going to be spending New Year's with family and for Christmas, we're actually going away just the two of us. Only to Sunny Manchester. I only planned this about two weeks ago and I used AI to help me.

"I had booked somewhere else, but there were no options for a vegetarian Christmas lunch. Everywhere was booked.

"So I used the Copilot and said, 'I want to plan a getaway in the UK that isn't too far from home. We want to stay two nights. Give me some hotel recommendations with a spa'.

"Because you obviously need that over Christmas. And then I asked, 'Is there anywhere that is serving a vegetarian Christmas lunch?' And it's done all the research for me. I've never spent Christmas away from home before, so I think it'll be a fun one."

She also uses AI to find recipes to cook, adding: "Instead of scrolling for hours on social media, I can literally type in: 'Hey, I need some festive canopy ideas and do you know what? I'm Indian. So let's give it a spicy twist'."

Huddersfield-born Harpreet parted ways with her successful dessert company 'Oh So Yum', two years after she won £250,000 investment from Lord Alan Sugar on the BBC show.

She's still in touch with Sugar and says "he's available if I need him". But she admits she's not getting him a Christmas present adding: "I think he's got everything he needs."

Visit Microsoft UK Stories to explore Harpreet’s AI-powered festive tips, and head to Microsoft.com to learn more about Copilot+ PCs.