Downing Street says Gregg Wallace’s response to allegations was misogynistic

Downing Street has said that Gregg Wallace’s response to allegations of misconduct on Masterchef was “inappropriate and misogynistic”.

On Thursday (November 28), it was announced that the presenter was stepping down from MasterChef after a series of complaints were made to the BBC.

The allegations included a pattern of inappropriate sexual comments and actions made by Wallace to 13 people who worked with him over a period of 17 years, with the corporation passing the allegations onto Wallace’s representatives shortly before they were made public.

Wallace’s lawyers said it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature. In a video posted over the weekend, he dismissed the accusers as being “middle-class women of a certain age” all from Celebrity Masterchef.

“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?”

Now, number 10 has confirmed that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has held talks with BBC bosses over the controversy. In addition, a senior MP has also questioned why MasterChef hasn’t been taken off air while the investigation is ongoing.

Episodes of MasterChef featuring Wallace are still set to air, one of which will be broadcast today (December 2). It is also understood the Christmas specials will air as planned.

The suggestion of pausing the long-running cooking show came from Rupa Huq, a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

“I think possibly there is an argument for pausing while this investigation takes its course, and maybe not airing it tonight,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today.

“I understand it’s scheduled for 9pm today, and it’s already in the Christmas schedules, but it seems to be not going away from the news.”

She added that broadcasting further episodes of MasterChef “could be massively triggering for the women involved, in fact any woman involved in any type of similar incidents”, and said the BBC should consider pulling the episodes from schedules “out of sensitivity”.

“To the casual viewer, there’s not going to be any difference,” she said. “If it’s on TV tonight, it looks like he sort of got away with it, and I think the BBC should send a strong signal [about] this sort of behaviour.”

She added: “We need to let the investigation do its work, but at the same time, if he’s being dangled on our screens while this is going on, I just think at the moment maybe pause it.”

In response to the suggestion, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “Clearly the comments we have seen from the individual over the weekend were completely inappropriate and misogynistic.

“It’s right that a thorough investigation is conducted. Obviously that’s for the BBC and the production company.”

Wallace has since apologised for his comments. In a follow-up video posted to his Instagram story, 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 head space 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. 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 accept this apology.”

For more help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.

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