Gregg Wallace defended by BBC Masterchef co-star with controversial statement

Ainsley Harriott and Gregg Wallace on MasterChef in September (Image: BBC)

After Prue Leith came to Gregg Wallace's defence, Ainsley Harriott has now described his stint on Celebrity MasterChef as "absolutely fantastic".

The celebrity chef graced the BBC culinary contest in September and has voiced his confidence in the show's enduring success despite recent controversies surrounding Gregg's conduct.

Last week, Gregg issued an apology for his earlier comments about complaints against him, stating they were from "a handful of middle-class women of a certain age", and announced he would be taking some time away.

His legal team has firmly refuted allegations that he "he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature", as reported by BBC News.

Ainsley praised the programme's longevity, attributing it to its quality: "If you look at a programme that's been successful for many, many, many years, there's a reason why," he remarked. "The whole crew, including Gregg, was fantastic. I had a great experience."

When quizzed about potentially filling Gregg's shoes, who has temporarily stepped back from the show, Ainsley acknowledged the difficulty of the role, especially given the complexities of modern television criticism, reports the Mirror.

Gregg Wallace has stepped away from MasterChef (Image: BBC/Shine TV)

Yet, Ainsley is of the opinion that television personalities need to evolve with the times, particularly to resonate with younger audiences. "Judging food or judging anything is harder," he admitted during an appearance at the Television and Radio Industries Club.

He shared a personal anecdote, saying, "But I've got kids - my daughter is 31 and she just turned around and said, 'it's not for you, Dad, it's for our generation.' And it really is."

"You have to look at who's coming forward. People talk about 'woke this, woke that.' No, it's now. It's where we live. This is society. We live it, breathe it, live it, love it. And especially when you've got young grandchildren, you can see that's the world they're coming into. Protect it. Respect those people. I was there once, you know, 30 years ago, and it's their time now. Let them develop. Let the world come alive."

It follows Prue Leith's comments that Gregg "shouldn't be sacked" over his behaviour. In a developing twist, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has expressed her readiness to "prepared to take further action" should the creative industries fail to tackle "cultures of silence and issues being swept under the rug", amid misconduct allegations.

Addressing the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday, the MP highlighted ongoing behaviour concerns, including those surrounding MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace, who has temporarily stepped down from the popular culinary series while production company Banijay UK conducts a probe into the claims against him.

She remarked: "Having spoken with the BBC in recent weeks about the Gregg Wallace allegations, I am really clear that we're seeing too many of these cultures of silence and issues being swept under the rug."

"People who cannot advance through the current complaints system because it would have an impact on their career, potentially ending their career. And I am clear that people need to be heard, action has to be taken and perpetrators have to be held to account."

The BBC has firmly stated that it will not "tolerate behaviour that falls below the standards we expect" and remains committed to fostering "a culture that is kind, inclusive and respectful".

In a communique dispatched to employees by Tim Davie, the corporation's director-general, and Charlotte Moore, the BBC's chief content officer, on Friday, they also expressed their intention to back Banijay UK, the production company behind MasterChef, in their ongoing investigation.