Kirsty Wark has accused Greg Wallace of telling “sexualised jokes” when she took part in Celebrity MasterChef in 2011.
It was confirmed on Thursday that TV presenter Gregg will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef after the BBC received complaints from individuals about historical allegations of misconduct.
Broadcaster Kirsty, best known for hosting BBC Newsnight, claimed on Thursday that Wallace told “jokes of a sexualised nature" on two occasions during filming. She added that crew and other contestants were present. Speaking to BBC News , Kirsty said Wallace’s alleged remarks were "really, really in the wrong place".
Kirsty finished second on that year’s Celebrity Masterchef and later said she was considering opening her own restaurant. Asked in a BBC radio interview in 2012 if she fancied opening a restaurant or café, she said: “I have registered a domain name of Kirsty’s Kitchen. I don’t know exactly what I will do with it yet. It would be fun.”
Meanwhile, Wallace, 60, is “committed to fully cooperating throughout the process”, a statement from the show’s production company Banijay UK said. The statement said: “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.
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BBC/Shine TV/Des Willie)
“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 underway, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChefand is committed to fully cooperating 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. Whilst these are historical allegations, incidences brought to our attention where these expectations are not met, are thoroughly investigated and addressed appropriately.”
The BBC has said it takes any issues that are raised with it “seriously” after it was announced Wallace will step away from his role on MasterChef while complaints made to the corporation from individuals about historical allegations of misconduct are investigated.
A BBC spokesperson 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.”
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BBC)Last month, it was reported that Wallace was investigated for making inappropriate remarks to a female BBC employee in 2018. Following the news of his alleged behaviour, Wallace took to Instagram to deny his comments were sexual. He said: "With reference to what's in the newspapers, these allegations were investigated by the BBC six years ago - and my comments were found to be not sexual. I repeat not sexual. Thank you for your time."
Wallace later added: "Something else that I feel very strongly about, strong enough to be on here, nobody six years ago or since has accused me of flirting with anybody or hitting on anybody. And that's important to me, and I say this for my wife Anna, who I've been true to and madly in love with since the day I met her.
"I don't want anybody to misunderstand this and make it look like I was flirting with somebody. Nobody accused me of that and I never have." A BBC spokesperson said at the time: “Whilst we do not comment on individuals, if issues are raised they are dealt with swiftly and appropriately at the time. We do not tolerate any form of inappropriate behaviour and have robust processes in place.”
The broadcaster is best known for co-presenting the popular cooking show MasterChef alongside John Torode since 2005, as well as its spin-offs Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals.
Recorded episodes of MasterChef: The Professionals featuring Wallace will transmit as planned, with the next episode due to air on Thursday, the PA news agency understands.
Wallace was the original presenter of the BBC show Saturday Kitchen in 2002 and has also featured on Eat Well For Less, Inside The Factory, Turn Back Time, Harvest and Supermarket Secrets.
He was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2022 for his services to food and charity. Wallace also took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2014 and was partnered with Aliona Vilani.
He has two children, Tom and Libby, from a former relationship. He married Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2016 and the couple have a son called Sid.
Gregg Wallace accusations in full
13 people have told the BBC of inappropriate sexual comments made by Wallace across a range of shows over a 17-year period.
Kirsty this week said that on two occasions Wallace relayed stories and jokes of a “sexualised nature” in front of contestants and crew and that she felt they were “really, really in the wrong place”.
BBC News said it had been told of other allegations, including the presenter “talking openly about his sex life, taking his top off in front of a female worker saying he wanted to ‘give her a fashion show’, and telling a junior female colleague he was not wearing any boxer shorts under his jeans”.
The historical allegations of misconduct are currently being investigated.
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