Gregg Wallace sacked from MasterChef after fresh sexual misconduct allegations from over 50 people

Highlights:

• Gregg Wallace has been dropped from MasterChef following a misconduct probe.
• BBC was approached by over 50 individuals with new allegations, including sexual misconduct.
• Wallace says an independent investigation cleared him of “serious” claims but found him guilty of inappropriate language.
• He has hit back at the BBC, accusing them of betrayal and failing to support his autism diagnosis.

Gregg Wallace has been officially removed from MasterChef after more than 50 new individuals came forward with misconduct allegations spanning his two-decade television career. The move follows an ongoing investigation led by law firm Lewis Silkin, commissioned by the show’s production company, Banijay UK, into Wallace’s behaviour.

While Wallace claims he has been cleared of the “most serious and sensational” accusations, he was reportedly found responsible for inappropriate language and comments dating back as far as 2005. The BBC, which aired MasterChef, is now facing renewed scrutiny over how long-standing concerns about Wallace’s behaviour were handled internally.

BBC under fire after 50 women share new allegations against Gregg WallaceGetty Images

Allegations span 20 years and multiple shows

BBC News reports that the broadcaster received over 50 new testimonies after its initial exposé in 2023, which documented complaints from 13 individuals. Among the most disturbing claims were accounts from women alleging Wallace groped them, touched them inappropriately, or undressed in their presence without consent.

One woman who worked on MasterChef between 2011 and 2013 said Wallace pulled down his trousers in front of her in a dressing room. A 19-year-old employee claimed she was subjected to comments about her body and discouraged from filing a formal complaint. Others described incidents on BBC shows such as Saturday Kitchen and Eat Well for Less, as well as incidents that occurred at industry events and even during a book tour.

Despite some complaints reportedly dating back to 2017, Wallace continued to appear on-screen until stepping away from MasterChef in late 2024 when the first round of allegations emerged.

Wallace hits back, says autism diagnosis was ignored

In a five-slide Instagram statement, Wallace defended himself, claiming he had been “hung out to dry” by the BBC and MasterChef producers despite years of service. He also revealed a recent diagnosis of autism, alleging that his neurodiversity was known by colleagues but never acknowledged or accommodated.

“I will not go quietly,” Wallace wrote. “I was tried by media and hung out to dry well before the facts were established… That failure is now being quietly buried.”

Wallace accused BBC News of planning to “platform legally unsafe accusations” and condemned the broadcaster’s coverage as “sensationalised gossip masquerading as journalism.” He stated that the only misconduct confirmed in the Silkin report related to language used between 2005 and 2018, for which he offered an unreserved apology.

Gregg Wallace seen filming prior to being removed from the showYoutube Screengrab

BBC and Banijay face scrutiny over safeguarding failures

The scandal is not just about Wallace. The revelations have raised significant questions about workplace culture within the BBC and its production partners. Many of the women who spoke to the BBC said they felt unable to report Wallace’s conduct at the time for fear of career backlash.

A production worker told BBC News that when she complained about Wallace dropping his trousers in a dressing room, she was dismissed with the response: “You’re over 16. You’re not being Jimmy Saviled.”

Another producer said her warnings to the BBC were ignored even after submitting a formal letter supported by an industry union in 2022. A 2023 report into BBC workplace culture already revealed that “a small number of stars and managers behave unacceptably,” with action often delayed or avoided entirely.

The BBC logo is seen at BBC Broadcasting House Getty Images

Banijay boss responds to scandal, promises safer industry practices

Just two hours after the latest BBC report on Wallace dropped, Banijay UK CEO Patrick Holland addressed the controversy during a press dinner in London’s Covent Garden. Speaking to a room filled with journalists, producers, and talent, Holland confirmed that an executive summary of the Lewis Silkin investigation will be released publicly “soon,” though the full report will remain confidential.

While he declined to comment on whether Wallace had been formally sacked, Holland acknowledged the broader implications of the case. “We need to do all we can to ensure that everyone in production, especially in the most junior roles, feels confident to call out bad behaviour,” he said.

He also noted that television culture had changed dramatically over the last two decades and pointed to “hotlines, welfare officers, and anonymous reporting systems” now available to workers as an apparent response to the many who said they feared career damage if they spoke up.

Gregg Wallace attends the Channel 5 2020 Upfront photocallGetty Images

Public reckoning and industry fallout

As the summary of the Silkin report is expected in the coming days, pressure is mounting on the BBC and Banijay to address the broader systemic issues that enabled Wallace to remain on air for so long. Calls are growing for resignations among senior figures who had oversight of Wallace’s productions.

Baroness Helena Kennedy, who leads a creative industry watchdog, warned that “freelancers often feel unable to speak out” and that there have been “multiple missed opportunities” to prevent harm.

Philippa Childs, head of the Bectu union, added: “Misogyny, intimidation, ageism, and sexual harassment should have no place in modern workplaces. Yet time and again we have seen issues running rampant, propped up by inadequate reporting mechanisms and a culture of untouchable talent.”

Bectu Union Story Instagram Screengrab/ bectuunion

She welcomed the UK government’s latest move to ban NDAs that silence victims of workplace abuse, a step many say is long overdue in cleaning up the British entertainment industry.

Wallace, meanwhile, continues to deny engaging in any sexually harassing behaviour. A spokesperson said he is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation.