Gregg Wallace takes swipe at BBC ‘destroying his career’ after MasterChef star is accused of sick sex jokes and groping
MASTERCHEF star Gregg Wallace has taken a swipe at the BBC after being accused of making sick sex jokes and sexualised behaviour during filming by 13 women.
Gregg was forced to quit his MasterChef job while the allegations of misconduct are investigated.
One witness claimed the former green grocer, 60, walked into the studio naked apart from a “sock over his penis” then did a dance.
They also said he mimed a sex act as a worker knelt to clean his trousers.
The Sun revealed one former contestant even alleged the MasterChef judge groped her while she was cooking on the set of the show as the cameras rolled.
Gregg thanked people for “showing their support” on a video posted to his Instagram on Thursday evening, and today shared a bizarre image of a gingerbread man dunked into whipped cream.
He has also liked a flurry of comments from supportive fans on his Instagram page.
Many hit out at the BBC, and one said: “Imagine trying to destroy a good man and his career because of spite and greed?”
Another comment he showed his approval for said: “Always supportive you Greeg, these liberal women are offended at the slightestprobably cheeky remarks. They need to get a life.”
One more ‘liked’ by Gregg penned: “A normal bloke saying normal things and the Woke brigade ready to jump on anything that could be misconstrued.
“Worse still, hounded by the BBC who protected Huw Edwards, Jimmy Savile and the like.”
The TV chef allegedly made sexual remarks to 13 colleagues including Beeb 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.
The Sun was told he was left with little choice but to step down pending the outcome of the investigation.
A source told The Sun: “He had to jump before he was pushed.
“There’s no way he could continue to work on the show while the probe happened.
“Gregg knew it was the right thing to do – there was no option.”
A clip from his time on Strictly Come Dancing has added fuel to the controversy.
The footage, aired in 2014, shows Gregg, then 50, in rehearsals with his dance partner Aliona Vilani, 30, making a startling confession about his attire.
“I don’t wear underwear,” he says while gesturing to his crotch, prompting a visibly uncomfortable Aliona to ask, “You for real?”
It comes as…
- Gregg Wallace has stepped down from MasterChef
- Star faces probe after allegedly making sexual remarks to 13 colleagues
- BBC Newsnight presenter and 2011 contestant Kirsty Wark says Wallace told ‘sexualised’ jokes while filming
- Gregg accused of talking openly about his sex life, taking his top off in front of a young staffer staffer and telling another he wasn’t wearing any pants
- Previous MasterChef episodes presented by scandal-hit Gregg still on iPlayer
- MasterChef star Aasmah Mir shares cryptic ‘always keep your receipts’ post
- BBC will still air two Masterchef festive specials this Christmas – despite both being fronted by Gregg Wallace
- Gregg breaks his silence – thanking fans for showing their support
Gregg grins and doubles down: “No, I’m for real, yeah.”
As Aliona reacts with a shocked “Woah,” Gregg continues, “It’s easy to move with… I’ve never worn underwear. I wear socks.”
In a piece-to-camera, Aliona admits: “I’m just way too distressed about the situation.”
The camera then cuts to Gregg from the waist up as Aliona pleads, “Oh my God, oh my God. Put it away.”
Gregg adds, “I haven’t worn a pair of pants since I was about 17 years old.”
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.