A damning independent report into MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace has substantiated 45 out of 83 allegations made against him, including one of unwelcome physical contact and another of being in a state of undress, with the BBC confirming it has no plans to work with him in future.
The inquiry, conducted by independent law firm Lewis Silkin and commissioned by production company Banijay UK, found that the majority of substantiated claims related to inappropriate sexual language and humour, alongside culturally insensitive and racist comments. The investigation was launched following a BBC News investigation that first revealed claims of inappropriate sexual comments against the 60-year-old presenter.
Wallace, who had presented the popular cooking show alongside John Torode since 2005, was sacked from his role last week as dozens more people came forward with fresh allegations. The report’s release marks the culmination of a nine-month investigation that has rocked one of the BBC’s flagship programmes.
Scale of Allegations Revealed
The comprehensive report revealed that 83 allegations in total were made against Wallace spanning his 19-year tenure on the show from 2005 to 2024. Of these, 45 were upheld by investigators, painting a picture of persistent inappropriate behaviour across nearly two decades.
Beyond the claims against Wallace, the report identified ten standalone allegations made against other people involved in the production. Two of these were substantiated, both relating to inappropriate language – one involving swearing and another concerning racist language.
The investigation team discovered that between 2005 and 2024, six complaints were raised directly with the production company and another six with the BBC, suggesting a pattern of concerns that went unaddressed for years.
BBC and Banijay Apologise
Patrick Holland, chief executive of Banijay UK, acknowledged serious failings in how complaints were handled historically. “In earlier years, it is clear that escalation procedures were not as robust as they should have been,” he stated.
We are extremely sorry to anyone who has been impacted by this behaviour and felt unable to speak up at the time or that their complaint was not adequately addressed,” Holland added.
The BBC issued its own apology, accepting responsibility for missed opportunities to address Wallace’s behaviour. Although the full extent of these issues were not known at the relevant time, opportunities were missed to address this behaviour – both by the production companies running MasterChef and the BBC,” the broadcaster stated.
We accept more could and should have been done sooner,” the BBC acknowledged, confirming it “apologised to everyone who has been impacted by Mr Wallace’s behaviour.
Wallace’s Response
Ahead of the report’s publication, Wallace had insisted it cleared him of “the most serious and sensational allegations” made against him. The presenter, who had been diagnosed with autism during his time on the show, launched a fierce attack on the BBC earlier this week, accusing the corporation of “peddling baseless and sensationalised gossip.
In a lengthy Instagram statement posted before the report’s release, Wallace wrote: “I recognise that some of my humour and language, at times, was inappropriate. For that, I apologise without reservation. But I was never the caricature now being sold for clicks.”
He claimed he had been “tried by media and hung out to dry well before the facts were established” and vowed: “I will not go quietly. I will not be cancelled for convenience.”
Production Future Uncertain
The scandal has thrown the future of MasterChef into uncertainty. A decision has not yet been made about unseen series of the show which was filmed last year with Wallace still in his presenting role. The BBC faces a dilemma over whether to broadcast Season 21, in which Wallace features prominently as a judge through to the finale.
Sources close to the production revealed that Banijay UK had hired a full-time welfare specialist to support Wallace for seven months after the allegations first emerged, with concerns that the television star could be a threat to his own safety.
Wallace recently told The Daily Mail that he had contemplated suicide as the avalanche of allegations dominated UK headlines.
Pattern of Complaints
The report’s findings suggest a long-standing pattern of inappropriate behaviour that went unchecked. Initial allegations published by BBC News in November 2024 included claims from 13 people that Wallace had made inappropriate sexual comments on five shows across a 17-year period.
Among those who came forward was broadcaster Kirsty Wark, a Celebrity MasterChef contestant in 2011, who said Wallace told stories and made jokes of a “sexualised nature” on at least two occasions in front of colleagues and contestants.
Subsequently, more than 50 additional people contacted BBC News with further allegations, including 11 women who accused Wallace of inappropriate sexual behaviour, including groping and touching.
Industry Implications
The Wallace scandal is the latest in a series of misconduct allegations to rock the British television industry. It follows controversies involving other BBC personalities including Russell Brand, who now faces charges for rape and sexual assault, and former Strictly Come Dancing professionals Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, who were accused of bullying and harassment.
The case has raised serious questions about the culture within television production and the mechanisms in place to protect staff and contributors from inappropriate behaviour. Banijay UK has emphasised that current procedures include “multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously,” though the report makes clear these were not always in place or properly utilised.
As the BBC confirms it has no plans to work with Wallace in future, the scandal serves as another watershed moment for the British broadcasting industry’s ongoing reckoning with workplace conduct and accountability.
Wallace has been contacted for comment regarding the report’s findings.
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