Gregg Wallace allegations ‘tip of the iceberg’, former MasterChef contestant claims
Allegations against Gregg Wallace are just the “tip of the iceberg”, a former MasterChef contestant has told Sky News – claiming he witnessed a “toxic environment” and was so “horrified” he considered quitting the show on his first day.
He alleged the “abuse” of contestants was widespread through the “production team”, but was too scared to speak out after signing a non-disclosure agreement.
The contestant, who did not wish to be identified, told Sky’s arts and entertainment correspondent Katie Spencer: “I was horrified. I’d never seen anything like it, genuinely, I was really quite shocked at that really toxic environment.
“What I witnessed… as a contestant was that there was a systemic problem that was larger than just him, in my view.
“Gregg… would occasionally crack jokes that in different ways felt inappropriate but he wasn’t the only one.”
Wallace has stepped back from presenting the BBC cooking show MasterChef after accusations he made sexual comments towards staff and celebrity guests on a range of programmes over 17 years.
Broadcaster Kirsty Wark is among 13 people who have made claims, with Wallace being investigated by MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK.
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Wallace blames ‘middle-class women’
The former contestant said he was “not for one second wanting to let Gregg Wallace off the hook, but I don’t think it’s just him”.
“My concern is that he’s being totally scapegoated for a culture that… was more often than not that about mocking. It was offensive.”
He said: “You know, I think it’s good that these things are coming out and I’m glad that people are speaking up, it’s brilliant. But I do think it’s the tip of the iceberg. I think if you were to really unravel and look at what was going on in that culture at large you’d see a lot more, you know, abuse.”
The contestant was so shocked by what he saw on the first day of filming, he said he wanted to leave.
“I don’t know why I didn’t actually. But I think it was partly because I was just too embarrassed. I didn’t want to be humiliated,” he said.
“I felt the only way I’m going to go is just to cook something awful and be thrown off the show. And I suppose my own pride got the better of me. And I thought, no, I didn’t want to cook something awful. So I kept going.”
In terms of the language he claimed he witnessed, he said Wallace was “the least offensive”.
“I mean, there was effings and c**** and twats and all sorts and that that was the kind of language you kind of got used to, particularly from some of the camera crew, but also a couple of the producers too. He was the least sweary person,” he said.
“I think I got off pretty lightly, but I’d see the other contestants and just [be] thinking I would have been very upset if that person had that said that to me.”
When asked by Spencer if the camera crew and directors were involved, he replied: “Producers as well… it wasn’t everybody, of course, and some people I thought were incredibly respectful and very professional. So it certainly wasn’t everyone, but there was certainly people from all levels of the organisation.
“It was all men… I don’t think I ever witnessed any of the women taking part in it. I think there was a kind of disconnection within the team at large… between some of the men and the women.”
He also claimed he witnessed inappropriate comments being made to another contestant.
“I remember thinking, do I say something here or will that mean I’m going to be thrown off? And there were a couple of times where I thought I am just going to walk off now. And then I thought, what does that really mean? You know, what if I just walk off, am I going to be thrown off?” he said.
“The contract we signed, the nondisclosure contracts and the wording was, you’re not supposed to talk at all about anything that goes on… you’re slightly terrified. I mean I remember not saying a thing about some things at the time. Just thinking could I just be dragged into court.”
Now, when anyone brings up the show, he said he will try to change the subject.
“I haven’t talked about it for a long time,” he said.
“I really wouldn’t be seen dead watching that programme anymore… I’ve seen too much behind the scenes.”
He added: “I remember thinking, ‘gosh do the BBC really know what’s going on? Is this okay? Is this how TV works? Is this how, you know, the BBC operates?’ I had all those questions at the time.”
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Sky News has contacted Wallace’s agent for comment.
A BBC source said: “While we are not going to comment on individuals or any internal HR processes, particularly when there is an ongoing process in place being run by Banijay who have the direct contractual relationship with Gregg Wallace, it would be wrong to report the BBC has done nothing if or when matters have been raised with us – not least because it is already being widely reported there were interventions in both 2017 and 2018 where action was taken.
“We continue to urge caution about pre-judging any of this, particularly the involvement of BBC staff members and any inference they have not acted appropriately.”
Banijay UK said the complaints were made to the BBC this week by “individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with Gregg Wallace on one of our shows”.
The company said the 60-year-old, who has been a co-presenter and judge of the popular cooking show since 2005, was “committed to fully co-operating throughout the process”.
“Whilst these complainants have not raised the allegations directly with our show producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel that it is appropriate to conduct an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate,” the company said.
“While this review is under way, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully co-operating throughout the process.
“Banijay UK’s duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions, with multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously, clearly promoted on set.
“Whilst these are historical allegations, incidences brought to our attention where these expectations are not met, are thoroughly investigated and addressed appropriately.”
Liverpool have won the Premier League title after a 5-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s men did it in impressive style, turning over Spurs in a convincing win.
It was a rocky start for the Reds after Dominic Solanke put the north London side ahead.
However, fortunes quickly changed in the first half as Liverpool scored three times without a response.
Captain Virgil van Dijk (centre) celebrates. Pic: Reuters
Salah on his knees in celebration after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott (below) and Jarell Quansah celebrate after full-time. Pic: PA
Slot cheers after the full-time whistle. Pic: AP
In the second half, it took until the 63rd minute for Mohamed Salah to make it 4-1 before a fifth followed.
The Reds have won the title in manager Arne Slot’s first season in charge, and move level with fierce rivals Manchester United on 20 league championships.
But it makes them arguably the most successful English club ever as they have won more European Cup or Champions League titles.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Sky Sports after the final whistle: “It’s special and it’s something that we don’t take for granted. It’s amazing.
“A lot of emotions before the game, during the whole week, but we got the job done and we (are) truly deserved champions of England. (Liverpool is) the most beautiful club in the world and I think we deserve all of this. Let’s enjoy the next couple of weeks and let it sink in.”
Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas poses with a Premier League trophy cut out. Pic: Reuters
Manager Arne Slot and his team after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Slot took over last summer from Jurgen Klopp, who guided them to their previous and maiden Premier League title triumph in 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdown saw matches played behind closed doors.
He is the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League and the fifth man to do so in a debut campaign after Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini, and Antonio Conte.
Speaking to Sky Sports he said: “They [the players] did an outstanding job today. The main job was to win. Everyone said we had got it already. But we had to make sure and we got over the line.”
Several players, including Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah, played leading roles in both the 2025 and 2020 campaigns.
Van Dijk and Salah recently signed new contracts extending their careers at the club.
Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with fans after scouring the fourth Liverpool goal. Pic: AP
Fans at Anfield during the game. Pic: AP
Fans in the stands at Anfield before full-time. Pic: Reuters
Liverpool will have to wait until the final game of the season – at home to Crystal Palace on 25 May – to be presented with the Premier League trophy.
It will be the first time the club’s fans will have seen their side lift the top-flight title in person since 1990.
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Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.
The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.
A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.
The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.
Pic: LNP
They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.
A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.
Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.
There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.
More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.
Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.
Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.
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Pic: LNP
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.
“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”
The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.
The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.
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