PM slams Gregg Wallace for 'misogynistic' comments as Downing Street seeks assurances from BBC
2 December 2024, 12:38 | Updated: 2 December 2024, 13:18
Downing Street has blasted Gregg Wallace's comments over the weekend "inappropriate and misogynistic." amid calls for the MasterChef to be pulled off air.
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The grocer turned presenter, 60, took to social media on Sunday to challenge the accusations levelled at him, claiming they came from "middle-class women of a certain age".
Mr Wallace has been accused of making inappropriate sexual remarks and jokes by 13 people over a 17 year period.
He strongly denied the allegations in a statement issued via his legal representatives.
Gregg Wallace speaks out over allegations
Today the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "As we said last week these allegations are obviously deeply concerning.
"It is right that a thorough investigation is conducted. Obviously that's for the BBC and the production company. But I would add 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 there are robust processes in place to deal with complaints."
They added: "Clearly the comments that we've seen from the individual over the weekend were completely inappropriate, misogynistic.
"More broadly as you know the BBC is conducting an independent review into workplace culture, which must deliver clear and timely recommendations. It's essential for staff and the wider public to have confidence that the BBC takes this issue seriously."
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."
Gregg Wallace says accusations made by ‘middle-class women of a certain age’
Read More: Gregg Wallace blames 'middle class women of a certain age' for accusations of misconduct against him
Mr Wallace has faced a backlash after describing the people making the complaints against him as "a handful of middle-class women of a certain age."
In the post he said: "I've been doing MasterChef for 20 years, amateur, celebrity and professional MasterChef, and I think, in that time, I have worked with over 4,000 contestants of all different ages, all different backgrounds, all walks of life.
"Apparently now, I'm reading in the paper, there's been 13 complaints in that time. 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 20 years, over 20 years of television, can you imagine how many women, female contestants on MasterChef, have made sexual remarks, or sexual innuendo? Can you imagine?"
Today, Downing Street said Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy held talks with BBC bosses in the wake of the Gregg Wallace row.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman added: "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."
