Presenter Gregg Wallace previously suggested that "we are all different" when allegations against him first emerged but has now deleted his Instagram post.
Last month, it was announced that Gregg, 60, had stepped away from his role on MasterChef whilst its production company Banijay UK review apparent historical misconduct complaints. As previously reported, his lawyers said it was 'entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature'.
Following the initial allegations, Gregg took to Instagram with a post that read: "We are all different." He shared the post at the end of November, as reported by the Standard. Gregg's action on social media comes the same week that this year's MasterChef winner was crowned.
Earlier this month, Gregg issued a video message in which he said: "Now in the [press] I can see the complaints coming from a handful of middle-class women of a certain age just from Celebrity Masterchef. This isn't right." After a backlash, he apologised for "any offence" caused by his video.
Gregg has continued to appear in the latest series of MasterChef: the Professionals, which had begun airing prior to the allegations surfacing. The final of the latest series aired on Thursday night and saw contestant Dan Merriman crowned the winner. It's thought to have been Gregg's last scheduled BBC appearance, with it previously announced that the celebrity Christmas specials of MasterChef have been pulled from the BBC's schedules.
It was announced last month that Gregg, who has faced a series of allegations in recent weeks, would be stepping away from MasterChef while allegations from 13 people that he made inappropriate sexual comments are investigated. Those allegations are said to have been made by people working across a range of shows over a 17-year period. It's been reported that his lawyers have said it was 'entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature'.
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BBC /Shine TV)Banijay UK said in a statement at the time: "This week the BBC received complaints from individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with presenter Gregg Wallace on one of our shows. Whilst these complainants have not raised the allegations directly with our show producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel that it is appropriate to conduct an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate.
"While this review is under way, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully co-operating throughout the process. Banijay UK's duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions, with multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously, clearly promoted on set."
A BBC spokesperson previously said: "We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them. We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated. Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them."
Following the initial allegations, Gregg said in his video: "I have been doing MasterChef for 20 years - amateur, celebrity and professional MasterChef - and I think in that time I have worked with over 4,000 contestants of all different ages, all different backgrounds [and] all walks of life. And apparently now I am reading in the paper there's been 13 complaints in that time. Now in the newspaper I can see the complaints coming from a handful of middle-class women of a certain age just from Celebrity Masterchef. This isn't right. [...] In over 20 years of television, can you imagine how many women, female contestants, on MasterChef have made sexual remarks or sexual innuendo. Can you imagine?"
He's since apologised for "any offence" caused by the video, later saying: "I want to apologise for any offence that I caused with my post yesterday and any upset I may have caused to a lot of people. I wasn't in a good headspace when I posted it, I've been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion, I felt very alone, under siege yesterday when I posted it. It's obvious to me I need to take some time out, now, while this investigation is under way I hope you understand and I do hope you will accept this apology."
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