Nestle memo reveals BBC knew about ‘unacceptable’ behaviour from Gregg Wallace on factory show last year
The BBC was alerted to Gregg Wallace’s “unacceptable” behaviour while filming Inside The Factory more than a year and a half ago, Sky News can confirm.
A memo to staff at the Nestle factory in York shows concerns were raised with both the broadcaster and production company Voltage TV after Wallace’s final visit in February 2023.
The memo, which was shared on the company intranet, says the “experience of some of the team taking part in the filming had not been a pleasant one” and had “compromised” Nestle’s values.
An accompanying letter from Nestle’s head of media relations to the factory manager states: “We have written to the production company… and spoken to the BBC to bring our unacceptable experience to their attention in the hope that it is not repeated in other workplaces around the UK.”
While the letter does not name Wallace directly, it is understood to be in reference to him.
Wallace, who is best known for being a MasterChef presenter, 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 said it’s “entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”.
Wallace quit as co-presenter of Inside the Factory in March 2023, saying he intended to focus on other TV commitments, and his young son, who is autistic.
At the time, there were reports the 60-year-old former greengrocer had offended some staff at the York factory with inappropriate comments.
The company’s memo reiterates a “zero-tolerance approach towards any allegation of discrimination, harassment or bullying of any kind in the workplace, whether this be by an employee, contractor, or visitor”.
Wallace presents MasterChef alongside John Torode (left). Pic: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
It was the programme’s fifth visit to a Nestle site and its third to York, but the memo says “we will not be working with Inside the Factory again in the future” as the show “did not meet our high standards of respect”.
“We will not tolerate any kind of racism, misogyny, homophobia, bullying, exclusion or harassment and we have strict policies in place to deal swiftly and decisively with this kind of behaviour,” the memo adds.
Sky News has contacted representatives for Wallace, and the BBC and Voltage TV for comment.
Earlier on Tuesday, the BBC confirmed it was pulling three repeat episodes of Inside The Factory from the Christmas schedule.
It told Sky News it would not be removing them from iPlayer “at this stage”.
Two celebrity MasterChef Christmas specials have also been removed from the schedule.
Wallace has temporarily stepped down from the cooking show while the complaints are externally reviewed by a law firm.
Groping allegation
More allegations against the presenter surfaced on Tuesday – with two women claiming Wallace 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.
Sky News has also asked the BBC and Wallace’s representatives for comment on these claims.
An increasing number of people have accused the presenter of inappropriate sexual comments in recent days, including a former contestant who told Sky News one remark left her crying in the toilets.
Jackie Kearney said she had been “troubled” by Wallace’s “household favourite status” as she felt he was “a bit of a sleaze behind closed doors”.
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‘If it’s just banter then why am I crying in the toilet?’
Another former contestant told Sky News the claims are just the “tip of the iceberg” when it comes to MasterChef.
He claimed to have witnessed a “toxic environment” on set and the problem was “larger” than just the presenter.
On Sunday, Wallace responded with a social media video dismissing his accusers as “middle-class women of a certain age”.
The remark prompted a huge backlash, with even Downing Street commenting.
He apologised in another clip on Monday, saying he “wasn’t in a good head space” when he posted the previous video.
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Wallace sorry for ‘middle-class women’ comments
Read more:
What are the allegations – and what has Wallace said?
‘Middle-aged women’: An epic failure in crisis management
What have the BBC and producers said?
Banijay UK has appointed law firm Lewis Silkin to lead the investigation.
A spokesperson 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 Banijay 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.
An amber warning has been issued for snow in a part of the UK, likely to cause travel delays and “stranding some vehicles and passengers”.
The warning, which covers south west England, also warns some rural communities could become cut off and is in place until 2pm this evening.
Pic: Met Office
There is also a yellow weather warning for snow covering the southern counties of England until midnight on Wednesday.
The warning stretches from Kent to Cornwall and up to south London and the Met Office said between 2cm and 5cm of snow could accumulate fairly widely, with as much as 10cm over higher ground.
This week is expected to see the coldest nights of the year, with temperatures potentially reaching -14C on Wednesday night and -16C on Thursday night, both in the North East of England and Scotland, the Met Office said.
Weather warnings issued on Tuesday for snow and ice covering the parts of Wales, the North West of England, west and northern parts of Scotland as well as Northern Ireland will remain in place until midnight tomorrow.
The forecaster said some roads and railways are likely to be affected and there could be icy patches on untreated roads.
Pics: AP
Meanwhile the Environment Agency has said at least 300 properties have flooded across England since New Year’s Eve. It estimates more than 41,000 properties have been protected.
Heavy rainfall over the New Year caused significant river and surface water flooding across the North West of England and Yorkshire and snowmelt has brought further disruption to parts of England, particularly the Midlands, the agency said.
Read more from Sky News:
Terrifying firestorm rips through home of film stars and billionaires
Homes destroyed – how people are coping with floods
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Man says flooding ‘came out of nowhere’
Floods minister Emma Hardy said: “My sympathies go out to the people, businesses and communities impacted by the recent flooding across the country.
“I want to express my heartfelt thanks for the vital work that the Environment Agency and emergency services are doing to keep people safe. People must continue to follow their advice and sign up for flood warnings.”
Flood warnings
Some 100 flood warnings were in force across England on Wednesday, with people urged to remain vigilant over the coming days.
A danger-to-life warning was issued on Tuesday morning for the River Soar near Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire, but was later removed.
People living in caravan parks in the area were urged by the Environment Agency to act, with a large-scale evacuation needed to save lives.
Firefighters have rescued dozens of people across Leicestershire since Monday, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said.
Hundreds of schools were closed across the UK, with road and rail links blocked, as Manchester, Bristol and Liverpool John Lennon airports suspended flights because of the conditions.
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