Celebrity Masterchef contestant Melanie Sykes has criticised the TV industry in the wake of the allegations made about host Gregg Wallace, saying it is up to bosses to act on unprofessional behaviour and not let one person be a “scapegoat”.
The former TV presenter and broadcaster, who rose to fame on shows including The Big Breakfast and Today With Des And Mel in the 1990s and 2000s, appeared on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021.
She wrote about her experience on the show in her autobiography Illuminated, released in 2023, and how she decided to walk away from show business afterwards.
Image: Pic: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
In a new clip shared on her YouTube channel, Sykes said she complained after appearing on the show, but did not want to make it formal.
Wallace, 60, faces allegations from 13 people across a range of shows over a 17-year period, with many others sharing their experiences in the wake of the initial claims.
He has temporarily stepped down from the BBC cooking show while historical misconduct complaints are externally reviewed by producers Banijay UK. His lawyers say “it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”.
Sykes, 54, said she wanted to speak out to let people know what the industry is like. “Every time Gregg came over to the desk, I didn’t like him being around, really,” she said. “Because it’s all about vibrations and energy.”
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‘If it’s just banter then why am I crying in the toilet?’
‘Stop letting one person be a scapegoat’
Sykes, who also appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2014, said the MasterChef production company was at fault “because they facilitate… what’s the word? It’s just unprofessionalism, really.
“I’ve seen unprofessionalism in many areas of that f****** industry and I’ve not exposed all and everything because I just don’t want to, it’s just so toxic, and I can’t…
“Stop letting one person be a scapegoat, which is the so-called talent, because that’s what they call you, is the one that has to carry the can all the time.
“If I had somebody misbehaving or acting unprofessionally on my production, let me tell you, they wouldn’t be on my production. I wouldn’t tolerate it. I don’t care who it is.”
Sykes said she believes alleged unprofessional behaviour is allowed to continue because “people think, well, you know, we can’t get rid of him really, because it’s such a successful show”.
She added: “I complained afterwards. I said I didn’t want to make a formal complaint because honestly, I’d spend my whole time in litigation if I did that. And I think that’s one of the reasons why people don’t go for it.”
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Stephen Fry on Wallace allegations
‘It’s not about wokeness’
Meanwhile, Stephen Fry has told Sky News that men in television must consider who may be the “victim or stereotype” at the root of their “light banter”.
“It’s just good manners, really,” he said. “Good manners have changed… and so I think we’ve all just got to realise it’s not about wokeness, it’s just about being sensitive to the atmosphere.”
Following a backlash – with even Downing Street weighing in – he issued an apology on Monday, saying: “I wasn’t in a good headspace 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 added: “It’s obvious to me I need to take some time out now while this investigation is under way. I hope you understand and I do hope you will accept this apology.”
Fry said Wallace’s initial response was “unbelievably foolish”, and added: “Even if he felt that he’d been misunderstood himself, he could surely see that there were some women there who were truly hurt and had felt not listened to, and that he should first of all address that.”
Production company Banijay UK has appointed law firm Lewis Silkin to lead an investigation into Wallace’s alleged behaviour.
A spokesperson said the company takes the complaints “incredibly seriously” but will not comment on individual allegations while the external investigation is ongoing.
“It is important to note that MasterChef welfare processes are regularly adapted and strengthened and there are clear protocols to support both crew and contributors,” the Banijay spokesperson said. “These include multiple ways of reporting issues, including anonymously.”
In response to reports that multiple complaints had been raised with the BBC, a source for the corporation said it would not comment on individuals or any internal HR processes but that 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”.
Last week, a BBC spokesperson said that any issues raised are taken seriously and there are “robust processes in place” to deal with them.
“We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated,” the spokesperson said.
Sky News has contacted representatives for Wallace for comment.
Austria has won Eurovision 2025, with Austrian-Filipino singer-songwriter JJ taking the glass microphone.
The 24-year-old singer, who originally trained as a countertenor, represented his country with his operatic ballad Wasted Love, staged on a storm-tossed ship.
The song, which was not dissimilar to that of last year’s winner Nemo, told the story of unrequited love, with a techno breakdown near the end. Austria has won Eurovision twice before, the last time in 2014 with Conchita Wurst’s pop hit Rise Like A Phoenix.
Image: JJ singing Wasted Love for Austria. Pic: Reuters
Israel’s Yuval Raphael, who survived the October 7, 2023, attacks which were the catalyst for Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza, was the runner-up with piano ballad New Day Will Rise, performed in Hebrew, French and English.
The singer was left “shaken and upset,” after two pro-Palestinian protesters rushed towards her during her grand final performance.
Organisers confirmed a backstage crew member was hit with paint but was not hurt.
A spokesman for SRG SSR said: “At the end of the Israeli performance, a man and a woman tried to get over a barrier onto the stage.
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“They were stopped. One of the two agitators threw paint and a crew member was hit. The crew member is fine and nobody was injured. The man and the woman were taken out of the venue and handed over to the police.”
Israel has won Eurovision four times, and last year finished in fifth place with Eden Golan’s Hurricane.
Image: Yuval Raphael performs New Day Will Rise for Israel. Pic:AP
Just as the grand final began broadcasting, Spanish broadcaster shared a message of Palestinian support which read: “When human rights are at stake, silence is not an option. Peace and justice for Palestine.”
The broadcaster had already received a warning from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) over political statements reported by Israeli broadcaster Kan.
The EBU said in response to the latter incident: “We can confirm that we have spoken to RTVE regarding this matter and made it clear that commentators are expected to maintain neutrality within the broadcasts of the Eurovision Song Contest.”
During the evening, there were also pro-Palestinian protests near the centre of Basel, as well as a small group nearby protesting with Israeli flags.
Israeli National Security Council had issued a warning to Israeli civilians in the city to keep a low profile during the competition.
In a change from last year’s contest in Malmo, Sweden, the ban on certain flags being waved by the audience was relaxed which meant Palestinian symbols could be seen in the arena.
Image: Remember Monday perform What The Hell Just Happened for the UK. Pic: AP
The UK’s act – country pop trio Remember Monday – who performed in colourful Bridgerton-style outfits – avoided the dreaded “nul points”, coming in at 19th place with song What The Hell Just Happened?
However, for the second year running, the UK received no points in the public score.
The UK has had five wins at Eurovision, but in recent years have struggled to rank, with the exception being Sam Ryder with Space Man in 2022, who came second.
Last year, Olly Alexander placed 18th at Malmo, and Mae Muller was second to last the previous year in Liverpool.
The Eurovision grand final took place in the St Jakobshalle arena in Basel, Switzerland, with the winner from among the 26 performing nations decided by a mix of public voting and points from national juries.
The four-hour-long show was presented by an all-female team – stand-up comedian Hazel Brugger, TV presenter Michelle Hunziker and Eurovision veteran Sandra Studer.
There were performances by previous Eurovision runners-up Croatia’s Baby Lasagna and Finland’s Kaarija, as well as last year’s winner Nemo during the night.
Image: KAJ perform Bara Bada Bastu for Sweden. Pic: AP
Sweden had been widely tipped to win with their sauna-themed entry Bara Bada Bastu (Just Sauna), but ended up coming fourth.
Ukraine, who have made a strong showing each since they first entered the competition in 2003, and who won in 2023, came ninth.
Last year protests and politics overshadowed the singing event amid the outbreak of war in Gaza, with some calling for Israel to be kicked out of the contest.
Last year also saw Dutch singer Joost Klein kicked out of the competition by the EBU over alleged verbal threats to a female production worker, which he denied.
Next year’s competition, Eurovision’s 70th, will be held in Austria.
A second man has been charged with grievous bodily harm with intent after an incident at a London nightclub that allegedly involved US singer Chris Brown.
The Metropolitan Police said Omololu Akinlolu, 38, will appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Saturday.
Better known by his stage name HoodyBaby, the American rapper has been charged in connection with an alleged assault at the Tape nightclub in central London in February 2023.
Brown, 36, was charged on Thursday with grievous bodily harm with intent and was remanded in custody by judge in Manchester until 13 June.
He is accused of attacking music producer Abraham Diaw with a bottle during the incident in February.
During a hearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Friday, Brown watched intently as brief details of the case against him were outlined by prosecutor Hannah Nicholls.
She accused Brown of committing “an unprovoked attack with a weapon in a nightclub full of people”.
Brown spoke to confirm his name and date of birth, but did not enter a plea.
He will appear for a plea and trial preparation hearing in London on 13 June.
Brown – known for hits such as “Loyal”, “Run It” and “Under the Influence” – was arrested at a hotel in Manchester in the early hours of Thursday by detectives from the Metropolitan Police.
The Grammy Award-winning singer was due to tour the UK in June and July, with dates in Manchester, Cardiff, London, Glasgow and Birmingham.