Top legal firm hired for Gregg Wallace probe as Penny Lancaster and Kirsty Wark asked to give evidence

MASTERCHEF chiefs’ probe into Gregg Wallace’s on-set behaviour has formally begun – with a bid of women interviewed by instrumentality steadfast Lewis Silkin aft being brought successful by the show’s accumulation company.

Sources accidental the archetypal signifier of the probe is present officially underway – with a drawstring of women who complained astir him including Rod Stewart’s exemplary woman Penny Lancaster and broadcaster Kirsty Wark invited to be to springiness grounds against the under-fire TV host.

Insiders accidental bosses astatine amusement makers Banijay UK are hoping to person the probe completed “as rapidly arsenic possible” but admit the process is “very clip consuming” – owed to the magnitude of worldly and lengthy clip play involved.

It is not known which of the women person agreed to be an interview.

The 60-year-old seasoned grocer volition besides beryllium asked for his ain relationship of alleged incidents, alongside combing done immense amounts of archive footage and documents.

A TV root explained: “The lawyers spent a spot of clip gathering their thoughts and making a program earlier Christmas, and present they are conducting the interviews.

“They person approached anyone who antecedently raised concerns, either with the BBC oregon with the accumulation team, but person besides made it wide that anybody with what they judge to beryllium applicable accusation tin besides interaction them.

“They are sitting down with women from each walks of life, immoderate of whom person spoken retired publically and others who person not been named truthful acold – ranging from inferior producers to large sanction endowment successful their ain right.

“It’s a immense cognition – but it’s the lone mode to marque definite nary chromatic is near unturned and to support the integrity of the show, which is inactive incredibly popular.”

Other witnesses who person not made allegations of their ain are besides being approached to springiness statements.

Allegations implicit Gregg’s “inappropriate” behaviour archetypal emerged successful November past year, with the prima aboriginal agreeing to measurement backmost from his relation connected the amusement pending the afloat autarkic inquiry.

But helium has ever denied wrongdoing – and recovered himself successful further contention aft helium attempted to enactment the complaints down to “a fistful of middle-class women of a definite age”.

He aboriginal apologised for the remarks, and agreed to measurement distant from the amusement for the clip being, saying: “I privation to apologise for immoderate offence that I caused with my station yesterday, and immoderate upset I whitethorn person caused to a batch of people.

“I wasn’t successful a bully caput abstraction erstwhile I posted it. I’ve been nether a immense magnitude of stress, a batch of emotion, I felt precise alone, nether siege, yesterday, erstwhile I posted it.

“It’s evident to maine I request to instrumentality immoderate clip retired portion this probe is nether way. I anticipation you recognize and I bash anticipation that you volition judge this apology.”

But helium precocious returned to the nationalist oculus via his Gregg Wallace Health platform – a £12-a-month subscription usher to healthier eating, fare and workout aft helium himself transformed his physique.
On a blog published connected the website, helium wrote: “Just beryllium mindful of each the decisions that we marque passim the day.

“Just inquire yourself what you tin bash that volition marque each of these a small spot better.

“Mistakes are ne'er the extremity of your journey. See them for what they truly are, they are simply slip-ups, you are lone human. If you larn a acquisition from them that is simply a large measurement forward.

“Be benignant to yourself. Just beryllium alert that this isn’t the astir important thing. The astir important happening is to absorption not connected perfection but connected progress.”