Gregg Wallace faces more complaints amid external review

Gregg Wallace has been accused of making “lesbian jokes” and “highly inappropriate” comments successful the latest of a drawstring of complaints made against the TV presenter by radical who assertion to person worked with him.

The caller accusations travel Thursday’s announcement that Wallace volition measurement distant from hosting deed BBC cooking amusement MasterChef portion humanities misconduct complaints are externally reviewed by the show’s accumulation company, Banijay UK.

A pistillate who worked connected Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekends successful 2019, which aired connected Channel 5, has told BBC News helium was “fascinated” that she dated women and asked her the “logistics” of however it worked.

The woman, who BBC News has called Anna, besides said helium reportedly talked astir sex, domination and spanking, which she said was “highly inappropriate”.

Another pistillate who worked connected the show, who BBC News has called Amanda, said Wallace allegedly showed her photos of a pistillate successful her underwear portion they were travelling successful a car together.

She besides recalled however helium allegedly took disconnected his apical and said “let maine springiness you a manner show” successful beforehand of her and a antheral workfellow erstwhile trying connected outfits successful his edifice country aft filming had wrapped for the day.

Her workfellow past near the country and she told BBC News: “It’s weird to beryllium unsocial successful a country with a topless stranger.”

Another woman, who BBC News has named Georgina, reportedly worked with the TV presenter connected BBC’s Eat Well For Less TV amusement successful 2019 and recalled him making comments connected however his woman was lone 2 years older than her.

She besides told the outlet that aft she went to his car to benignant his parking ticket, helium allegedly replied: “You tin travel to my car, but tin you grip the information everyone volition deliberation you conscionable got disconnected with a celebrity?”

Her colleague, named Lisa by BBC News, besides recalled Wallace allegedly leaving a bath topless successful beforehand of them during a sprout and asking them to instrumentality his java order.

She told BBC News that his “behaviour isn’t acceptable”, adding: “To not lone proceed to enactment women successful these scenarios but to proceed publically platforming him is simply a disgrace to our manufacture standards.”

On Thursday, BBC News reported the 60-year-old faces allegations from 13 radical crossed a scope of shows implicit a 17-year period, including erstwhile Newsnight big Kirsty Wark.

The TV star’s lawyers accidental “it is wholly mendacious that helium engages successful behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”, BBC News reported.

Actress Katy Brand besides addressed the “awkward” infinitesimal Wallace told her helium would “munch the surviving daylights retired of your small tart” erstwhile she competed successful Celebrity MasterChef successful 2013.

After a video of the remark began recirculating online, she wrote connected Instagram connected Friday: “I took it arsenic an innuendo-laden remark astatine the time, and I inactive spot it that mode now.

“My absorption connected camera was 1 of daze and disbelief astatine specified a crass and idiotic joke.”

She clarified she was not among those who person made an authoritative ailment astir Wallace, but applauded those who have.

Sir Rod Stewart took to Instagram pursuing the accusations connected Thursday, accusing Wallace of “humiliating” his woman Penny Lancaster connected Celebrity MasterChef successful 2021.

The seasoned vocalist wrote: “So Greg Wallace gets fired from Master Chef. Good riddance Wallace… You humiliated my woman erstwhile she was connected the show, but you had that spot chopped retired didn’t you?

“You’re a tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully. Karma got ya. Sir Rod Stewart”.

Geordie Shore prima Charlotte Crosby, who appeared connected Celebrity MasterChef this year, commented connected Sir Rod’s station writing: “He was highly unpleasant to maine erstwhile I was connected MasterChef.”

Model Ulrika Jonsson told The Telegraph that erstwhile she competed connected Celebrity MasterChef successful 2017, Wallace allegedly had to apologise aft making a “rape joke”, which caused different pistillate contestant to go “really distressed”.

Jonsson did not perceive the gag but said that erstwhile different contestant walked disconnected the set, she was told what had occurred.

The Swedish-born TV property besides posted a photograph of her MasterChef apron to her Instagram story, writing: “Hopefully it volition each travel retired successful the wash” and different connection saying: “Plenty of unit connected acceptable who would not situation to talk up for fearfulness of losing their jobs.”

A Downing Street spokesperson said the allegations astir Wallace were “deeply concerning” and that it was “right that a thorough probe is conducted” successful a connection connected Friday.

Wallace thanked his followers successful an Instagram video connected Thursday, saying: “I would similar to convey each the radical getting successful touch, reaching retired and showing their support.

“It’s bully of you, convey you precise much.”

The Telegraph’s edifice professional William Sitwell said helium was “astonished” astatine the allegations being made against Wallace successful a remark portion successful the newspaper.

He wrote: “Interesting, funny, exhausting and outrageous, is the Gregg I know. I stitchery his colleagues astatine MasterChef and the accumulation institution are arsenic astonished arsenic I americium astir the news.

“And I’m definite we each anticipation this unit of quality volition beryllium backmost connected acceptable sooner than you tin say, arsenic his catchphrase goes, ‘buttery biscuit base’.”

A connection from Banijay UK connected Thursday said the BBC received complaints from individuals successful narration to “historical allegations of misconduct portion moving with presenter Gregg Wallace connected 1 of our shows”.

The accumulation institution said portion the allegations were not raised with Banijay UK oregon their amusement producers, they would inactive beryllium conducting an “immediate, outer reappraisal to afloat and impartially investigate”.

It added that Wallace would beryllium “stepping away” from his hosting duties connected MasterChef portion the reappraisal is conducted and that the presenter is “committed to afloat co-operating passim the process”.

A BBC spokesperson said it takes immoderate issues raised with them “seriously” and “any behaviour which falls beneath the standards expected by the BBC volition not beryllium tolerated”.

A spokesperson for Channel 5, which broadcasts Big Weekends, besides stated they instrumentality “any allegations of this quality highly seriously” and person asked the show’s accumulation institution Rumpus Media to look into the claims.

Rumpus Media added: “We bash not tolerate inappropriate behaviour connected our productions. Our broad work of attraction processes were successful spot during accumulation of these bid and immoderate matters raised would person been investigated successful accordance with these.”

Wallace is champion known for co-presenting MasterChef alongside John Torode since 2005, arsenic good arsenic its spin-offs Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals.

He was made an MBE successful the Queen’s Birthday Honours successful 2022 for his services to nutrient and charity.