Gregg Wallace’s £400k a YEAR salary hanging in the balance as star ‘steps back’ from MasterChef amid probe
GREGG Wallace’s £400k a year salary is hanging in the balance after he ‘stepped back’ from MasterChef.
Greengrocer Gregg‘s glittering career is rapidly fading after an investigation was launched into his alleged misconduct over a number of years.
The BBC confirmed that 13 people who worked with him across a range of shows over a 17-year period have made accusations of sexual comments – something Gregg strongly denies.
While he was a high-earner at the Beeb, the under-fire star failed to make as much dough from his online fitness firm, borrowing £70,000 last year to top up the ShowMe.Fit app.
He launched the firm in 2020 after seeing workout king Joe Wicks make millions from his hugely popular Body Coach app.
Just a few thousand people have bought Gregg’s much-hyped fitness plans since the firm was formed.
Joe got 130,000 in a week for his app launch.
The latest accounts for last year show the firm is made a modest profit of £60,000 for the 12 months to the end of February last year and it made “borrowings of £70,000.
Members get workout routines and keep fit plans for their money.
Now he tells fans: “ShowMe.Fit members will be moving over to the new site GreggWallace.Health. Exciting News for ShowMe.Fit Members!
“We are delighted to announce a significant upgrade to your health and wellness journey. ShowMe.Fit is transitioning to our new, enhanced platform, GreggWallace.Health!
“In light of this exciting change, we will no longer be accepting new memberships at ShowMe.Fit.
“Instead, we invite you to join us at GreggWallace.Health, where we continue to offer an enriched experience with even more resources, expert advice, and community support.
“If you are an existing ShowMe.Fit member, please reach out to us for more information on options for moving over.”
His Lobster Enterprises Ltd outfit – where cash from his TV work is collected – had an £80,000 tax bill over the same period suggesting it pocketed a £400,000 profit.
The broadcaster and writer, who used to be 16½st, decided to overhaul his life after admitting he was drinking booze most days and frequently ordering takeaways.
Speaking to Hello!, he admitted: “The four-stone journey from A to B was not a straight line.
“It went around a couple of McDonald’s drive-ins, it stopped at a few kebab shops and it hit more pubs than it was supposed to have done, but it got there.”
He added: “We’ve got to live right – there’s no way I’m going to the rugby and not having a pint of beer.
“It would be like washing my feet with my socks on. It just isn’t going to happen.”
On the ShowMe.Fit site Gregg says: “You know what? Losing weight and getting healthy doesn’t have to be hard.
“ShowMe.Fit is a weight loss platform that is designed to show you exactly how I, not only lost 4 and a half stone but have managed to keep it off for years.”
The TV personality allegedly made sexual remarks to 13 colleagues including BBC presenter Kirsty Wark.
The Sun revealed how he previously came under fire after “inappropriate sexual comments” were reportedly made to a female staffer on Impossible Celebrities.
Since then, 13 people who worked with Gregg across a range of shows over a 17-year period have now accused him of making sexual comments.
His wife Anne-Marie Sterpini, 37, is standing by him
Among the complainants is BBC Newsnight host Kirsty, who said he told “sexualised” jokes during filming on Celebrity MasterChef in 2011.
The broadcaster told how she feels strongly that the comments were “really, really in the wrong place”.
Times Radio presenter and 2017 Celebrity MasterChef contestant Aasmah Mir today posted a cryptic message after the news broke, saying: “Always keep your receipts.”
Other allegations include Gregg talking openly about his sex life, taking his top off in front of a junior staffer and telling another young colleague he wasn’t wearing any pants.
BBC News today confirmed they launched a probe into Gregg in the summer after claims were made regarding five shows between 2005 to 2022.
MasterChef production company Banijay UK said complaints have been made this week in relation to “historical allegations” of misconduct while on the show.
The company has now launched its own “immediate, external review” into his so-called behaviour.
Glittering career
Gregg left school at 15 and started his career working on a fruit and veg stall in London.
In 1989, he started George Allan’s Greengrocers, a company that grew to a turnover of £7.5 million.
Gregg’s experience in the world of fruit and veg lead to him cohosting Veg Talk on BBC Radio 4 with Charlie Hicks for seven years:
He then became the first host of Saturday Kitchen in 2002, a role he held for a year before being replaced by Antony Worrall Thompson in 2003.
At the same time, Gregg presented a number of food-related TV specials, including Veg Out for the Discovery Channel.
Gregg landed his most notable TV role as a co-presenter and judge on BBC’s competitive cooking show MasterChef in 2005. He stars alongside John Torode.
In 2010 Gregg pursued another life long dream of opening a restaurant. He opened the establishment Wallace & Co. in Putney.
Then, in 2012, he opened Gregg’s Bar & Grill in a joint venture with the Bermondsey Square Hotel.
Gregg then scored a hosting gig with the BBC, presenting the documentary Supermarket Secrets in August 2013.
Gregg Wallace's career to date
Gregg Wallace has been a familiar face on TV for years now thanks to his role as a judge on MasterChef - but let's take a closer look at his career so far...
- Gregg Wallace left school at 15 and started his career working on a fruit and veg stall in London.
- In 1989, he started George Allan’s Greengrocers, a company that grew to a turnover of £7.5 million.
- Gregg’s experience in the world of fruit and veg lead to him co-hosting Veg Talk on BBC Radio 4 with Charlie Hicks for seven years.
- He then became the first host of Saturday Kitchen in 2002, a role he held for a year before being replaced by Antony Worrall Thompson in 2003.
- At the same time, Gregg presented a number of food-related TV specials, including Veg Out for the Discovery Channel.
- Gregg landed his most notable TV role as a co-presenter and judge on BBC’s competitive cooking show MasterChef in 2005. He stars alongside John Torode.
- In 2010 Gregg pursued another life-long dream of opening a restaurant. He opened the establishment Wallace & Co. in Putney.
- Then, in 2012, he opened Gregg’s Bar & Grill in a joint venture with the Bermondsey Square Hotel.
- Gregg then scored a hosting gig with the BBC, presenting the documentary Supermarket Secrets in August 2013.
- Unfortunately, times were tough for Gregg, and in the same month, it was reported that one of his companies, West Veg Limited, had folded, owing more than £500,000.
- In 2014, both of his restaurants folded, with Wallace & Co owing suppliers £150,000.
- However, his TV career continued to thrive, and in 2015 became the regularly host of the award-winning documentary food series Eat Well for Less? Gregg helmed the show for eight years before stepping away.
- He also competed on Strictly Come Dancing.
- Gregg then made Telly history again when he revived the BBC’s historical game show Time Commanders.
- More recently, the celebrity chef has presented a number of travel programmes such as Big Weekends with Gregg Wallace, South Africa with Gregg Wallace, and the food mockumentary, Gregg Wallace: The British Miracle Meat.