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MasterChef presenter John Torode has said he has found the recent reports about co-host Gregg Wallace “truly upsetting”.

The pair have presented the BBC One cooking show together for almost 20 years, since 2005.

In his first comments since the allegations surfaced, Torode said he would continue to be part of the programme, adding: “The thought of anyone who has appeared on our show not having a brilliant experience is awful to hear, and I have found the recent press reports truly upsetting.”

Wallace is facing allegations of inappropriate behaviour from more than a dozen people across a range of shows over a 17-year period. His lawyers have previously strongly denied “he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”, according to BBC News.

In a statement posted on Instagram, Torode said he had been away filming MasterChef overseas since last Friday.

“I love my job, and I love MasterChef,” he said. “I love being part of it and will continue to be part of it.

“During the last few days, I’ve been trying to make the best cookery programme, so being busy making the show and caring for our contestants has allowed me little time to think about anything else, but that has been hard.”

Pic: Yui Mok/PA

The BBC iPlayer app on a smart TV, displaying episodes of Masterchef available to watch on demand, in London. Further accusations have been made against TV presenter Gregg Wallace in the wake of him stepping away from hosting hit BBC show MasterChef while a review into complaints is carried out. Picture date: Monday December 2, 2024.
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MasterChef Christmas specials have been pulled from the schedule. Pic: Yui Mok/PA

Torode said he “fully” supports the current investigation into Wallace’s alleged behaviour, but could not comment further while it is ongoing.

“I hope that you all understand and respect my silence on the matter moving forward,” he added.

Torode rose to TV fame in the mid-1990s as the resident chef on ITV’s This Morning and joined the revamped version of MasterChef when it launched in 2005. The show, initially called MasterChef Goes Large, followed the original series, which was hosted by Lloyd Grossman from 1990 to 2001.

On Tuesday, the BBC confirmed it was removing two MasterChef celebrity Christmas specials from the schedule following the allegations about Wallace. However, the current series of MasterChef: The Professionals is airing as planned.

A spokesperson for the broadcaster said it took the decision as the series can be “life-changing” for the chefs taking part, but the “Christmas specials are obviously a different type of show”.

Read more:
What are the allegations – and what has Wallace said?
‘Middle-aged women’: An epic failure in crisis management

Wallace has temporarily stepped down from the cooking show while historical misconduct complaints are externally reviewed by producers Banijay UK.

The BBC has also pulled three repeat episodes of Inside The Factory from the Christmas schedule.

Torode response polar opposite of Wallace ramblings


Katie Spencer

Katie Spencer

Arts and entertainment correspondent

For two decades he’s stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Gregg Wallace but now, with one Instagram post, John Torode is attempting to massively distance himself from the man he’s stood so closely beside.

Literal distance, he says, is the reason he didn’t comment sooner. Keen to stress he’s been away filming overseas. At the same time acknowledging he’s struggled to think of little else.

In comparison to Wallace’s Sunday morning wildly misogynistic ramblings (for which he’s since apologised) it is the polar opposite of responses.

Theirs was always an unusual bond. Torode had, in interviews, often been keen to stress that the pair didn’t associate socially. Published quotes which Torode can, in the future, now helpfully point to when it comes to keeping the public on side.

Wallace has – via his lawyers – denied any behaviour of a sexually harassing nature. And he won’t have read his former co-presenter’s post on Instagram itself having reportedly already unfollowed him over the weekend.

With lawyers hired by Masterchef’s makers, Banijay, carrying out their independent investigation into allegations of misconduct by Wallace, it’s correct that he can’t say much more.

But it is a post that will please the BBC – with Torode respectfully expressing his upset at the claims whilst defending the beloved primetime show, suggesting he isn’t going anywhere and indicating his hopes that the show will go on with or without Wallace beside him.

Sky News can confirm the broadcaster was alerted to Wallace’s “unacceptable” behaviour while filming the series more than a year and a half ago, with a memo shared with staff at the Nestle factory in York showing concerns were raised after his final visit in February 2023.

More allegations have surfaced against the presenter this week – with two women claiming he had inappropriately touched them.

One told the BBC he “groped” her bottom, while another alleged he laughed after touching her bottom “with his waist and penis” when brushing past her. A third claimed Wallace’s penis was partially exposed in his dressing room in what she felt was a “power play”.

The Guardian also reported a complaint that he once asked a sign language interpreter to translate “big boobs” and “sexy bum” in front of the audience at the BBC Good Food Show.

Earlier, one former contestant told Sky News that a remark Wallace made when she returned as a guest judge left her crying in the toilets.

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‘If it’s just banter then why am I crying in the toilet?’

Another described the allegations as the “tip of the iceberg” when it comes to the show – claiming he witnessed a “toxic environment” on set and the problem was “larger” than just the presenter.

Sky News has contacted representatives for Wallace for comment on the allegations against him.

At the weekend, he shared a video dismissing the initial claims, putting them down to “middle-class women of a certain age”.

He later posted another clip apologising for the remarks.

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Wallace apologises for video: ‘I wasn’t in a good head space’

What have the BBC and producers said?

A spokesperson for Banijay UK, which has appointed a law firm to lead its investigation, has said the company takes 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 spokesperson said.

“These include multiple ways of reporting issues, including anonymously.”

In response to reports 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 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,” they said.

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Mandalorian actor Gina Carano settles lawsuit with Disney – and thanks Elon Musk for funding it

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Mandalorian actor Gina Carano settles lawsuit with Disney – and thanks Elon Musk for funding it

Actor Gina Carano has settled her lawsuit with Disney and Lucasfilm after claiming she was wrongfully dismissed from The Mandalorian for expressing her political opinions.

Carano was fired in February 2021 after starring as Rebel ranger Cara Dune in two series of the Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian.

According to court documents, it came after the 41-year-old referenced the Nazis’ treatment of Jewish people while discussing current political differences in the US.

At the time, production company Lucasfilm said in a statement that her “social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable”.

But late on Thursday, she posted on X: “I have come to an agreement with Disney/Lucasfilm which I believe is the best outcome for all parties involved.”

She added that she “hopes this brings some healing to the force”.

The details of the financial settlement have not been disclosed.

When filing her lawsuit at the Californian District Court last year, she had sought $75,000 (£59,000) in damages.

She also thanked Elon Musk for financing the lawsuit, despite the two having never met.

“I want to extend my deepest most heartfelt gratitude to Elon Musk, a man I’ve never met, who did this Good Samaritan deed for me in funding my lawsuit,” she wrote in her post. “Thank you Mr. Musk and X for backing my case and asking for nothing in return.”

The X owner is an ardent advocate of free speech and has funded similar legal battles previously.

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Carano as Cara Dune.'The Mandalorian'. Pic: Lucasfilm/Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock
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Carano as Cara Dune.’The Mandalorian’. Pic: Lucasfilm/Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock

Carano signed off: “I am excited to flip the page and move onto the next chapter.

“My desires remain in the arts, which is where I hope you will join me. Yes, I’m smiling. From my heart to yours, Gina.”

In response to the settlement, Lucasfilm said in a statement: “Ms Carano was always well respected by her directors, co-stars, and staff, and she worked hard to perfect her craft while treating her colleagues with kindness and respect.

“With this lawsuit concluded, we look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future.”

In legal documents, Carano’s team claimed both Disney and Lucasfilm had “targeted, harassed, publicly humiliated, defamed, and went to great lengths to destroy Carano’s career”.

She also alleged she was treated differently to her male colleagues. Neither company commented on these claims.

Pic: Lucasfilm/Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock
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Pic: Lucasfilm/Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock

Lawyer Gene Schaerr, managing partner at Schaerr Jaffe, said at the time: “Disney bullied Ms Carano, trying to force her to conform to their views about cultural and political issues, and when that bullying failed, they fired her.

“Punishing employees for their speech on political or social issues is illegal under California law.”

Carano, who began her career as a mixed martial arts fighter, has starred in other Hollywood franchises, including Fast & Furious 6 as Riley Hicks, and Deadpool, in which she played Angel Dust.

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Eddie Murphy: I’ll get an Oscars trophy eventually – when I’m old and have no teeth

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Eddie Murphy: I'll get an Oscars trophy eventually - when I'm old and have no teeth

Eddie Murphy has told Sky News he doesn’t ever expect to win awards – but will happily accept an honorary Oscar when he’s 90.

Murphy is one of the biggest stars in comedy after starting out on Saturday Night Live (SNL) in 1980 and starring in a number of big franchises from Beverly Hills Cop to Shrek.

His latest project is heist comedy The Pickup, centred on two security van drivers. Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson star alongside him.

Pete Davidson, Eddie Murphy and Keke Palmer in The Pickup. Pic: Amazon MGM Studios
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Pete Davidson, Eddie Murphy and Keke Palmer in The Pickup. Pic: Amazon MGM Studios

Murphy says award recognition was never something that shaped the projects he chose.

“The movies are timeless, and they’re special, so for years and years those movies play and the movies have commercial success.

“So you make a lot of money and people love it, so you don’t even think about ‘I didn’t win a trophy!’ The response from the people and that the movie has legs, that’s the trophy.

“You know what I’ve earned over these years? One day, they’ll give me one of those honorary Oscars. When I’m really old. And I’ll say thank you so much for this wonderful honour. I’ll be old like that and I’ll have no teeth. I’m cool with getting my honorary Oscar when I’m 90.”

Murphy, 64, has only been nominated once – for Dreamgirls in 2007, when Alan Arkin won the best supporting actor Oscar for Little Miss Sunshine.

Murphy’s co-star Palmer says she considers Murphy an icon in the industry, and The Nutty Professor was a true display of his artistry.

Eddie Murphy as Sherman Klump in The Nutty Professor. Pic: Reuters
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Eddie Murphy as Sherman Klump in The Nutty Professor. Pic: Reuters

“I feel like recognition and [being] underrated and all this stuff, it annoys me a little bit because I think impact is really the greatest thing, like how people were moved by your work, which can’t really be measured by an award or really anything,” Palmer says.

“It’s very hard to make people laugh, and so when I think about it like The Nutty Professor, Eddie was doing everything, and I swear that the family members were real people.

“He didn’t camp it to the point where they weren’t realistic. His roles had integrity, even when he was in full costume. And I do think that’s something that should change in our industry. Comedy, it should be looked at just as prestigious as when you see somebody cry, because it’s that hard to make somebody laugh.”

Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson in The Pickup. Pic: Amazon MGM Studios
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Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson in The Pickup. Pic: Amazon MGM Studios

Recalling his time on the 90s comedy, Murphy says he’s still in disbelief of what they achieved in making the film with him playing seven characters – Professor Sherman Klump, Buddy Love, Lance Perkins, Young Papa Klump, Granny Klump, Ernie Klump and Mama Klump.

“You can only shoot one character a day. And the rest of the time you’re shooting, I’m talking to tennis balls where the people were sitting.

“So to this day when I watch it, I’m like, wow, that’s a trip. But we were able to mix all that stuff up and different voices and make it feel so that you don’t even feel like when you’re watching it, someone have to tell you, hey, you know, those are all one person.”

The film won best makeup at the 1997 Academy Awards.

Security guards buddy comedy

Palmer says their new project, The Pickup, is responsible for one of the most memorable moments of her life when she mistook Murphy’s acting for real praise.

“First of all, Eddie gives me this big speech before I do the monologue, where he’s like, ‘this is not playing around. This is a pivotal point in the movie’.

“I’m crying in the scene, and then it comes to the end, and Eddie’s [clapping] like, and I’m literally like, ‘oh my gosh, thank you so much’. And he’s like, ‘I’m acting’. When I tell you, it was so crazy, yeah. That’s like one of my most memorable moments in life.”

Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson star in The Pickup
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Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson star in The Pickup

Davidson is excited to see how the UK puts its own stamp on SNL, the show where both he and Murphy got their start on-screen.

“It’s a smart idea to have SNL over there because it’s not that it’s a different brand of comedy, but it is a little bit. A lot of the biggest stuff that’s in the States is stuff that we stole from you guys, like The Office or literally anything Ricky Gervais does.

“This is the first time I’ve ever heard anything American going to the UK, so I think it’s great. I think it’s great to have two opposite sorts of takes on things, but both be funny. That just shows you how broad comedy can be, you know?

The Pickup is out on Prime Video now.

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Ex-Superman Dean Cain to join ICE ‘ASAP’ to ‘save America’

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Ex-Superman Dean Cain to join ICE 'ASAP' to 'save America'

Dean Cain has been branded the “worst superman ever” as he announced he will join the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “ASAP”.

The 59-year-old, who was cast as Superman in the TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, announced he had joined the team amid the federal agency’s unprecedented immigration raids.

He told Fox News on Wednesday his recruitment video on Instagram had gone viral and since then, “I have spoken with some of the officials over at ICE and I will be sworn in as an ICE agent ASAP”.

“You can defend your homeland and get great benefits,” he said in the Instagram post where he appealed for his followers to join ICE.

Speaking with the Superman theme song in the background, he said “hundreds of thousands of criminals” had been arrested since US President Donald Trump took office.

He then told his followers they would get a series of benefits if they joined ICE, including a $50,000 (£37,407) signing bonus and student loan repayment.

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Who is being targeted in Trump’s immigration raids?

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“If you want to help save America ICE is arresting the worst of the worst and removing them from America’s streets,” he said, before adding: “I voted for that.”

ICE agents are under pressure from the White House to boost their deportation numbers in line with Mr Trump’s campaign promise to crack down on illegal immigration.

Cain’s post on Instagram received some backlash, with one user commenting: “Worst superman ever”.

Another said: “Shame on you Dean – that’s the most un-Superman thing you could possibly advocate.”

One fan turned against him and said: “Until I saw this I was such a fan. What a sad human being you must be.”

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