Gregg Wallace apologises for ‘any offence that I caused’ amid deluge of sexual misconduct allegations
2 December 2024, 13:58 | Updated: 2 December 2024, 21:10
Gregg Wallace has issued an apology after being accused of making inappropriate sexual remarks and jokes by 13 people over a 17 year period.
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In a statement posted online today he said: "I want to apologise for any offence that I caused with my post yesterday and any upset I may have caused to a lot of people.
"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.
Gregg Wallace apologises over defiant video
"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."
In a further sign of Wallace's fury amid the allegations, he also unfollowed co-host John Torode and his wife on social media.
Asked whether MasterChef should be pulled off air, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "As we said last week, these allegations are obviously deeply concerning.
"It's right that a thorough investigation is conducted. Obviously that's for the BBC and the production company."
Asked why the Culture Secretary had spoken to the BBC about the row, the spokesman said: "I think, in the context of the allegations that are obviously widely publicised, but also more broadly in the context of the BBC's independent review into workplace culture, I think she was seeking assurances and an update on the review.
"The Government is clear that that review must deliver clear and timely recommendations, as it's essential that staff and the wider public have got confidence that the BBC are taking these issues seriously. "
Gregg Wallace speaks out over allegations
The MasterChef presenter, who faces various allegations of making "inappropriate sexual jokes" and complaints about his behaviour, had sparked fury when he said the claims have come from "a handful of middle-class women of a certain age".
The 60-year-old faces allegations from 13 people across a range of shows over a 17-year period, as reported by BBC News on Thursday, with many others sharing their experiences in recent days.
Baroness Harriet Harman has told LBC’s Andrew Marr that she does not ‘think the BBC should be airing’ upcoming shows with Gregg Wallace, adding ‘it is not the job of presenters to trash a whole load of viewers who hitherto have enjoyed watching the programme.
But I, for one, am not going to be watching it.’
Speaking on Tonight with Andrew Marr on LBC, Baroness Harman also told Andrew that the BBC is ‘misjudging’ the situation if they believe Wallace’s ‘phoney apology’ is enough for him to continue presenting MasterChef, telling LBC that she believes Gregg Wallace, ‘should take it on board and acknowledge that he has been offensive, he has been downright rude.’
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has since held talks with BBC bosses in the wake of the Wallace row, Downing Street said.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "The Culture Secretary spoke with the BBC leadership at the end of last week on this matter and wider workplace culture issues to seek assurances that there are robust processes in place to deal with complaints.
"Clearly the comments we have seen from the individual over the weekend were completely inappropriate and misogynistic.
"More broadly the BBC is conducting an independent review into workplace culture which must deliver clear and timely recommendations. It's essential that staff and the wider public have confidence that the BBC takes these issues seriously."
Asked whether MasterChef should be pulled off air, the spokesman added the decision was for the BBC and the show's production company, and reiterated that Downing Street believes it is "right" that a thorough investigation is conducted.
Philippa Childs, head of media and entertainment union Bectu, said that "misogyny, intimidation, ageism and sexual harassment should have no place" in modern workplaces, but "time and again we see that these issues continue to run rampant in the creative industries - propped up by inadequate reporting mechanisms, a lack of accountability and an industry that enables extreme power dynamics and 'untouchable' talent."
She continued: "Reports that the BBC previously internally investigated complaints about Wallace and concluded that aspects of his behaviour were unacceptable are deeply troubling - is it any wonder that film and TV freelancers, many of them worrying about their next job, think twice about sticking their head above the parapet?
Addressing the accusations in a post on Instagram on Sunday, Wallace said: "I can see the complaints coming from a handful of middle-class women of a certain age, just from Celebrity MasterChef. This isn't right."
In another video, Wallace claimed "absolutely none" of the people he had worked with on his shows had made a complaint about him.
Wallace's lawyers say "it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature".
Wallace's statement sparked a backlash, with former Celebrity MasterChef contestants Ulrika Jonsson, Kirstie Allsopp and Emma Kennedy among those who criticised his response.
Jonsson, who claimed Wallace had been forced to apologise for an inappropriate comment which upset another contestant when she competed on Celebrity MasterChef in 2017, told The Telegraph she was "seething" at Wallace's statement.
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".
Allegations were also raised by staff members about Wallace's behaviour on Channel 5's Gregg Wallace's Big Weekends to BBC News, with producer Rumpus Media saying it would be investigating allegations of "inappropriate behaviour".
It comes after it was announced Wallace is to step away from the BBC cooking show while historical misconduct complaints are externally reviewed by MasterChef producer Banijay UK.
The production company confirmed it has appointed law firm Lewis Silkin to lead an investigation into Wallace's alleged behaviour.
