BBC MasterChef The Professionals CONFIRMED to air tonight despite Gregg Wallace ‘misconduct’ claims: ‘More than one individual’
The BBC has confirmed that the latest episode of MasterChef: The Professionals will grace screens tonight despite the growing scandal around host Gregg Wallace.
At least 13 people, including newsreader Kirtsy Wark, have come forward to accuse Wallace, 60, of inappropriate “sexual” behaviour.
In a statement, a BBC spokesperson said the airing of the cooking competition’s semi-final will go ahead, airing tonight at 9pm on BBC One.
The spokesperson said: “MasterChef is life-changing for the chefs that take part and the show is about more than one individual.”
The Daily Mail reports both the BBC and MasterChef’s production company, Banijay UK, have been combing through the upcoming episodes for any remarks from Wallace that may fan flames further.
Wallace hosts and judges MasterChef: The Professionals with celebrity chefs Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing.
MasterChef is one of the BBC’s flagship cooking show’s and, with four episodes remaining in the current series, would leave a sizeable hole in the broadcaster’s festive schedule if they were to be pulled.
Wallace’ lawyers have previously said: “It is entirely false that he (Wallace) engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.”
However, Banijay UK has said it is “committed to fully co-operating throughout the process” and called on anyone who has a complaint against Wallace to come forward.
Earlier today, the 60-year-old issued an apology for earlier remarks he made at the weekend.
On Sunday, the former grocer characterised his accusers as a “handful of middle-class women of a certain age just from Celebrity MasterChef.”
Defending himself, Wallace said: “I have worked with over 4,000 contestants of all different ages, all different backgrounds, all walks of life. And apparently, now, I’m reading in the paper, there have been 13 complaints in that time.”
Later, he posted another video claiming the number of “staff” on shows across his 20-year TV career who had complained about him was: “Absolutely none. Zero. Seriously.”
The videos caused outrage, even prompting TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp to come forward with a claim that Wallace had made crude sexual remark to her “within an hour of meeting”.
Today, Wallace 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.”
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He concluded: “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.”
Along with claims of improper sexual jokes and suggestions, Wallace has also been accused of removing his top off in front of a female worker and stating he wanted to “give her a fashion show”.
The 60-year-old also allegedly told a junior female colleague that he wasn’t wearing any boxer shorts under his jeans.
Other allegations have claimed Wallace used sexually-loaded and racist remarks towards an Asian contestant, including the phrase: “Me so horny.”