MasterChef fans furious as ‘creepy’ Gregg Wallace takes over when co-star ‘goes missing’ from ‘hard to watch’ show
TV viewers were left furious last night, after claiming that disgraced Masterchef host Gregg Wallace, had been given more airtime on the BBC show, despite the ongoing scandal.
The presenter has officially stepped down from hosting duties after allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior came to light last week.
But during a segment in last night’s show, the 60-year-old appeared to feature more heavily, after he stood in for his co-star, Chef Monica Galetti, who appeared to go missing from the filming process, perhaps due to illness.
But TV fans were left fuming that the under-fire ex market trader was being given more camera time.
A slew of fans vented their frustration and outrage on social media site Reddit.
One person said: “
“It was bad enough yesterday but tonight’s show just seems to play into his power tripping excesses. After ruining the show for everyone, probably the contestants too. I’m happy they’re cutting the Xmas special cos I for one am finding the bits with him in it almost unwatchable.”
Meanwhile another person said that Gregg is no great loss to the show. “Losing a presenter that can easily be replaced shouldn’t hurt the show. It’s not like he was a chef, he’s just another misogynist presenter with a sweet tooth and bad humor.”
And another person admitted that they have taken to ‘zoning out’ whenever he’s on screen.
“Same here. I considered not watching at all but I’m invested in these in chefs and I want to see their journeys through to the end. I’m trying to zone out when he is visible or audible.”
Meanwhile, in light of further allegations that surfaced last night of inappropriate touching, another person added that Gregg’s presence is problematic for the talented and budding chefs on the show:
“It was hard especially as more came out tonight, but I think the chefs don’t deserve to be punished for what Gregg did (before some of them were even chefs…), so I’m glad to be able to watch them.
Earlier this week it was revealed that the BBC have decided to cancel both Masterchef Christmas specials in light of the probe into Gregg Wallace’s conduct.
It comes as a slew of ex-Masterchef production staff and various celebrities have come forward with a litany of complaints about the beleaguered host.
The shock claims include allegations that Wallace walked into a studio naked apart from a “sock covering his penis”.
That he mimed a sex act as workedrknelt to clean his trousers and also made a “rape joke.”
But the semi-final of Masterchef still went ahead last night, after the BBC justified the decision as being ‘life changing’ for the competitors.
A spokesperson from the BBC said: “As we have said, MasterChef is an amazing competition which is life-changing for the chefs taking part and the current series of MasterChef: The Professionals is continuing as planned.”
“The celebrity Christmas specials are obviously a different type of show and in the current circumstances we have decided not to broadcast them.”
Wallace who is currently under investigation by the BBC and Banjay productions who produce Masterchef, was due to appear on the BBC several times over the festive period.
Two episodes of MasterChef’s Christmas Cook Off were set to air in the coming weeks featuring a host of stars, including Emmerdale actor Amy Walsh, comedian Shazia Mirza, reality star Luca Bish, and The Wanted singer Max George.
This week a former MasterChef staffer — who worked on the show from 2007 to 2010 — told The Sun she knew of at around six production members who raised concerns about Wallace’s conduct.
They said: “I heard from five female colleagues that they had issues with Gregg, including comments he made which weren’t appropriate for a workplace.
“There was a male staffer too who raised an issue about the language Gregg used when speaking to him.
“Nothing ever seemed to be done to properly address it.
“It was like the worst-kept secret in the TV industry.”
Wallace stepped down from the show last week after multiple complaints emerged.
The host faces allegations from 13 people across a range of shows over a 17-year period — as others continue to come forward as the scandal broke last Thursday.
Gregg Wallace - MasterChef scandal in Brief
GREGG Wallace has stepped down from his MasterChef hosting role after a probe into alleged inappropriate behaviour. But what's the situation?
Regular MasterChef host Gregg Wallace is currently the subject of a probe after an investigation was launched into his alleged misconduct over a number of years.
Gregg has been accused of making sexual remarks to 13 colleagues including Beeb anchor Kirsty Wark – accusations he denies.
The 60-year-old has now stepped away from the BBC show while historical misconduct allegations against him are investigated.
Yet the former greengrocer spoke out on social media to blast the “women of a certain age” who he claimed were behind the allegations.
The cooking show’s production company, Banijay UK, has said law firm Lewis Silkin would lead the investigation into Wallace’s alleged misconduct.