John Torode dropped a bombshell admitting that he and co-host Gregg Wallace "have never been friends" despite their long-standing partnership on the hit BBC1 show MasterChef.
Despite joining forces with the former greengrocer since 2005, John revealed back in 2017, as MasterChef was gearing up for its 13th run post-revival, that they keep it strictly professional and stay apart off-camera, even when filming in the most exotic locations.
Fast forward, and the news hits harder following recent news that Gregg, now 60, has stepped down from presenting MasterChef due to an ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct dating back to his early days on the show. Allegations include Gregg strutting into the studio with just a sock covering his modesty.
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Speaking to The Mirror at the time, chef John, hailing from Melbourne and now 59, was candid about their relationship, saying: "We've never been friends."
He gave some insight into Gregg's character, painting him as "so OCD" and suggesting social visits were off the table: "It's funny, we've never been friends. We've not been to each other's houses... He's so OCD, he wouldn't know what to do. He'd build it up in his mind for three days, and probably make himself quite sick, then he'd have an argument with his wife and not turn up. If I went to his house, he would feel like he wasn't in control."
John has kept mum on the investigation into Gregg's alleged misconduct since the full allegations came to light. Instead of addressing his co-star's situation, John took to Instagram stories with a snap outside his local David Lloyd club in north London, reports the Mirror.
Fresh from a workout, the chef shared "Love spin" and praised: "Another bloody great class thank you."
Meanwhile, 13 individuals, including ex-Newsnight host Kirsty Wark, have lodged complaints with the BBC regarding historical allegations. Wark, 69, who was in the sixth series of the Celebrity MasterChef spin-off in 2011, alleges that Wallace made "sexualised nature" comments and jokes on two occasions in front of contestants and crew.
Kirsty expressed her discomfort: "I think people were uncomfortable. We were essentially a captive audience. People looked embarrassed and just got on with their work. I was actually more angry than anything else, because I thought it was so inappropriate."
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The BBC responded with a statement: "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."
They added: "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."
Gregg's solicitors insist claims of him sexually harassing others are "entirely false". Meanwhile, show maker Banijay UK, who create the programme for the BBC, said John will be "stepping away".
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