Wallace faces new claims of 'groping' as BBC pulls MasterChef specials

Two women person claimed Gregg Wallace inappropriately touched them - arsenic yet much allegations aboveground against the MasterChef presenter.

It comes arsenic the BBC said it was pulling the MasterChef Christmas specials owed to "current circumstances".

Wallace, 60, present faces claims from much than a twelve radical crossed a scope of shows implicit a 17-year period.

He has temporarily stepped down from the cooking amusement portion the complaints are externally reviewed.

Wallace's lawyers accidental "it is wholly mendacious that helium engages successful behaviour of a sexually harassing nature".

On Tuesday, the BBC reported claims Wallace touched and "groped" a woman's bottom, portion different alleged helium laughed aft touching her bottommost "with his waist and penis" erstwhile brushing past her.

A 3rd pistillate said Wallace's penis was partially exposed successful his dressing country successful what she felt was a "power play".

The Guardian besides reported a ailment that Wallace had asked a motion connection interpreter to construe "big boobs" and "sexy bum" successful beforehand of the assemblage astatine the BBC Good Food Show.

Sky News has contacted the BBC and Wallace's representatives for remark connected the latest claims.

Celebrity MasterChef Cook Off and a MasterChef Strictly Festive Extravaganza had antecedently been listed arsenic portion of the BBC's Christmas schedule.

However, a spokesperson said they would not present beryllium shown.

"As we person said, MasterChef is an astonishing contention which is life-changing for the chefs taking portion and the existent bid of MasterChef: The Professionals is continuing arsenic planned," the BBC spokesperson said.

"The personage Christmas specials are evidently a antithetic benignant of amusement and successful the existent circumstances we person decided not to broadcast them."

Among those acceptable to look were histrion Amy Walsh, comedian Shazia Mirza, world prima Luca Bish, and The Wanted vocalist Max George.

The Strictly peculiar was to see dancers Amy Dowden, Gorka Marquez, Kai Widdrington and Nancy Xu.

However, the latest bid of MasterChef: The Professionals is inactive being shown.

An expanding fig of radical person accused Wallace of inappropriate intersexual comments successful caller days, including a erstwhile contestant who told Sky News 1 remark left her crying successful the toilets.

Jackie Kearney said she had been "troubled" by Wallace's "household favourite status" arsenic she felt helium was "a spot of a sleaze down closed doors".

Another erstwhile contestant told Sky News the allegations are conscionable the "tip of the iceberg" erstwhile it comes to MasterChef - claiming helium witnessed a "toxic environment" connected acceptable and the occupation was "larger" than conscionable the presenter.

On Sunday, Wallace responded with a societal media video dismissing his accusers arsenic "middle-class women of a definite age".

The remark prompted a immense backlash, with even Downing Street commenting.

He apologised successful different clip connected Monday.

"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," the presenter said.

"It's evident to maine I request to instrumentality immoderate clip retired present portion this probe is nether way. I anticipation you recognize and I bash anticipation you judge this apology."

Read more:
What are the allegations - and what has Wallace said?
'Middle-aged women': An epic nonaccomplishment successful situation management

What person the BBC and producers said?

Banijay UK has appointed instrumentality steadfast Lewis Silkin to pb the investigation.

A spokesperson said the institution takes complaints "incredibly seriously" but volition not remark connected idiosyncratic allegations portion the outer probe is ongoing.

"It is important to enactment that MasterChef payment processes are regularly adapted and strengthened and determination are wide protocols to enactment some unit and contributors," the Banijay spokesperson said.

"These see aggregate ways of reporting issues, including anonymously."

In effect to reports aggregate complaints had been raised with the BBC, a root for the corp said it would not remark connected individuals oregon immoderate interior HR processes, but that it would beryllium "wrong to study the BBC has done thing if oregon erstwhile matters person been raised with america - not slightest due to the fact that it is already being wide reported determination were interventions successful some 2017 and 2018 wherever enactment was taken".

Last week, a BBC spokesperson said immoderate issues raised are taken earnestly and determination are "robust processes successful place" to woody with them.

"We are ever wide that immoderate behaviour which falls beneath the standards expected by the BBC volition not beryllium tolerated," they said.