Gregg Wallace Apologises for “Middle-Class Women” Remark

Gregg Wallace, the presenter of MasterChef, has issued an apology for his remark implying that accusations against him originated from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”. On Sunday, the television host had stated that “13 complaints” had been made by “over 4,000 contestants” with whom he had collaborated over two decades on the BBC cookery program. In a video uploaded to his Instagram story on Monday, he declared: “I want to apologise for any offence that I caused with my post yesterday, and any upset I may have caused to a lot of people.” He continued: “I wasn’t in a good head space when I posted it. I’ve been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion, I felt very alone, under siege, yesterday, when I posted it.” He concluded by stating: “It’s obvious to me I need to take some time out while this investigation is under way. I hope you understand and I do hope that you will accept this apology.” Concurrently, the BBC has verified its intention to proceed with the airing of the ongoing MasterChef series. A BBC spokesman commented on Monday afternoon, saying: “MasterChef is life-changing for the chefs that take part and the show is about more than one individual.” An accuser remarked that Wallace’s assertion that the allegations originated solely from middle-class women of a certain age indicated he “clearly hasn’t learnt his lesson”, while another individual stated that he incorrectly “seems to be saying he’s the victim of classism”. Ulrika Jonsson, who alleged she was informed that Wallace uttered a “rape joke” during her participation in Celebrity MasterChef, conveyed to the Daily Telegraph her belief that Wallace’s reaction demonstrated “the arrogance of a man who has zero introspection or self-awareness”. She added: “When he made reference to women of a certain age I was just seething… I was just absolutely wild.” Last week, Wallace withdrew from MasterChef following claims that he had made inappropriate remarks during his work on the program. A BBC News inquiry gathered testimonies from 13 individuals of various ages, who had been involved in five distinct productions. Wallace has refuted accusations of sexually harassing conduct. He has not replied to interview requests from BBC News. Earlier on Monday, a spokesperson for Downing Street characterized Wallace’s comments as “inappropriate and misogynistic”. A government spokesman stated: “As you know, the BBC is conducting an independent review into workplace culture, which must deliver clear and timely recommendations, and it’s essential that staff and the wider public have confidence that the BBC takes these issues seriously.” When questioned about whether Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer considered the BBC to offer good value for money following another controversy involving one of its presenters, the spokesman responded: “As I say, it’s important that the public have got confidence that the BBC are taking these issues seriously. “It’s right that the BBC are conducting this independent review, and the public would expect to see clear and timely recommendations, followed up on as result of this review.” Downing Street has also verified that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy engaged in discussions with BBC executives subsequent to the dispute concerning Wallace’s alleged conduct. MasterChef is set to proceed on BBC One at 21:00 GMT on Monday, with additional episodes slated for broadcast on Tuesday and Thursday. All three episodes scheduled for this week have already been made accessible for viewing on BBC iPlayer. A Christmas special is also anticipated to air later this month. In a press release distributed on Friday, the BBC stated that viewers could “expect fireworks, great Christmas banter and good food”. On Monday morning, MP Rupa Huq proposed that the BBC contemplate suspending the series while Wallace’s conduct undergoes investigation. She informed BBC News that airing additional MasterChef episodes “could be massively triggering for the women involved, in fact any woman involved in any type of similar incidents”, and advocated for the BBC to consider pausing the series “out of sensitivity”. However, the BBC later confirmed its intention to broadcast the series as scheduled, for the benefit of the participating contestants. Production company Banijay UK announced it has initiated an investigation, with Wallace’s cooperation, while the BBC has affirmed it will “always listen if people want to make us aware of something directly”. Among those who have presented allegations against Wallace is former BBC Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark, who stated that he recounted stories and jokes of a “sexualised nature” in the presence of contestants and crew during her time on Celebrity MasterChef. Further allegations reported include Wallace discussing his sex life candidly, removing his shirt in front of a female employee while stating he wished to “give her a fashion show”, and informing a junior female colleague that he was not wearing boxer shorts beneath his jeans. BBC News has also interviewed a former MasterChef employee who claims he displayed topless photographs of himself to her and requested massages, as well as a former worker on Channel 5’s Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekends, who alleges he was intrigued by her dating women and inquired about the practicalities of such relationships. A different female worker on MasterChef in 2019 states that Wallace discussed his sex life; a female worker at the BBC Good Food Show in 2010 recounts Wallace staring at her chest; and a male worker on MasterChef between 2005 and 2006 reports Wallace frequently made sexually explicit comments on set. Conversely, some employees have recounted more favorable interactions with Wallace. A former worker on Inside the Factory informed the BBC that he frequently made “dad jokes” but did not exceed that behaviour. A former MasterChef employee stated that nothing during her tenure there was troubling. Another individual mentioned she perceived no malice in his remarks, though she comprehended why some might have experienced discomfort. Wallace has additionally shared comments on social media from previous contestants who expressed positive recollections of their professional relationship with him. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.