John Torode has yet to speak out following claims made against his MasterChef co-star, Gregg Wallace, and the reason for this may be hidden in his previous comments about the star.
Wallace, 60, announced he was stepping down from the popular BBC show last week after it was revealed that an external investigation is being launched into his behaviour following misconduct claims. Newsnight host Kristy Wark is one of the 13 people who have accused the star of making inappropriate sexual comments.
According to MasterChef production company Banijay UK, the broadcaster is "committed to fully cooperating through the process." Wallace has maintained his innocence, telling fans in a social media video on Sunday that the claims have come from a "handful of middle-class women of certain age, just from Celebrity MasterChef. This isn't right."
He has since apologised for his "middle-class women" comments, telling his social media followers that he is sorry for "any offence that I caused" and "any upset I caused to a lot of people." He added that he felt "under siege" and was not "in a good head space" when he posted the first video.
As the star fights for his reputation, one seemingly close friend and co-star for more than 19 seasons of the cooking show, Torode, 59, has kept his silence, with past comments now resurfacing and painting a picture of a fractured relationship between the pair.
Torode and Wallace have co-starred on the show since its revival in 2005. They also hosted Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals and their bromance was a hit with viewers. Despite Torode accepting the honour of being Wallace's best man at his fourth wedding in 2016, the celebrity chef has made it clear he and Wallace have "never been friends."
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BBC/Shine TV)The MasterChef co-stars were never friends
Speaking to The Mirror in 2017, he discussed their relationship, or rather lack thereof, explaining that they haven't even visited each other's homes: "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," Torode said.
"If we go away to somewhere like South Africa, we do things separately... If we do go out for a drink, I'll invariably be at one end of a big old table, and he'll be at the other," he added. It came just one year after Tororde appeared by Wallace's side at his wedding to Anne-Maire Sterpini.
Three years later, Wallace alluded to a falling out between the pair during a 2020 interview with Hello! Magazine, telling the publication: "We are mates, but also mates fall out, and we have to make sure we don't fall out. We have to make sure our relationship is professional and that nothing infiltrates that at all. It's in our best interest, me and John, to get on."
Torode shares Wallace's irritating habit
Torode previously admitted that one habit of Gregg's used to anger his wife. Speaking to the Times in 2022, John revealed he wasn't 'very happy' as Gregg used to disturb whilst sleeping: "With Gregg my issue is the 6am phone calls. Last time it happened I wasn't very happy and I said, 'Gregg, mate, it's 6am'. And he said, 'But you're on my list!' That's the thing with Gregg, he gets up very early and his whole life is diarised and run on lists."
Torode's silence upsets Wallace
Torode's silence amid the accusations has reportedly left a sour taste in the broadcaster's mouth. He has gone on to unfollow his former co-star and his wife, Lisa Faulkner, on Instagram. Speaking to The Sun, a source said, "Gregg is absolutely furious and is convinced he has done nothing wrong."
"Seeing John keeping quiet amid all of this has irked him hugely. Gregg and John have been colleagues for almost two decades and while they aren't the closest of friends, Gregg feels John could say something." The source added: "He has deleted them from his Instagram account now and unfollowed both of them."
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