BBC under scrutiny as Masterchef host Gregg Wallace hits back at misconduct allegations
The BBC is currently under intense scrutiny following allegations of sexual misconduct against Gregg Wallace, a long-time presenter on the popular cooking show, Masterchef. Wallace, 60, is facing accusations from multiple women who claim that he made inappropriate sexual comments and engaged in inappropriate behavior on set over a period of 17 years.
In response to the allegations, Wallace announced last week that he would be stepping away from the show while an investigation was conducted into his alleged misconduct. However, the situation escalated when Wallace took to social media to dismiss the complaints, referring to the women as “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age.” This statement only served to anger the women who had come forward with their grievances.
One of the women, television presenter Aggie MacKenzie, who competed on Celebrity Masterchef in 2011, criticized Wallace’s lack of insight into his own behavior. She claimed that he had been allowed to make “endless smutty jokes” and had been behaving inappropriately for many years. The spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office described Wallace’s remarks as “completely inappropriate and misogynistic.”
The allegations against Wallace include claims that he undressed in front of female colleagues, made inappropriate comments about his sex life, and made women uncomfortable with sexualized jokes during filming. The BBC reported that a total of 13 people who had worked with Wallace on various shows had raised complaints about his behavior over the span of 17 years.
The BBC is now facing questions about how it handles allegations of sexual misconduct and why Wallace was able to continue fronting some of its most popular shows despite the complaints. It was revealed that Wallace had been warned by his employers in 2018 after a complaint was raised against him, and an internal investigation at the time deemed his behavior as “unacceptable and unprofessional.”
Wallace’s lawyers have denied the allegations against him, stating that he does not engage in sexually harassing behavior. The BBC, which claims to have “robust processes” in place to address such issues, declined to comment on Wallace’s case due to the ongoing investigation being conducted by the production company of Masterchef.
The situation has sparked a broader discussion about workplace culture and the treatment of sexual misconduct allegations within the entertainment industry. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is seeking assurances from the BBC that they are handling these complaints appropriately. It remains to be seen how the investigation into Gregg Wallace’s alleged misconduct will unfold and what consequences, if any, he may face as a result.
