Ex MasterChef host Gregg Wallace is reportedly facing fresh claims of misconduct from 50 people, which he strongly denies, as he’s axed from the BBC cooking show

Former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace is facing fresh misconduct claims from 50 more people, with the presenter denying all allegations. The presenter was sacked from his role in MasterChef following a probe into alleged misconduct.

Now, 50 people have approached the BBC with fresh claims about Wallace, BBC News has reported. Wallace has strongly denied all claims. The new claims are said to have come from people who encountered Wallace on a range of shows and settings. Eleven women have accused him of inappropriate sexual behaviour, while the majority claimed he made inappropriate sexual comments.

One woman, whose name has been changed to Alice, claimed Wallace took his trousers down in front of her. She claimed it was “disgusting and predatory” behaviour. Another woman, who has been named Sophie, said she felt “absolutely horrified” and “quite sick” when Wallace allegedly groped her. Other people who have come forward are said to include a participant on BBC’s Sunday Kitchen, who said Wallace touched her groin under a table ahead of filming.

Gregg Wallace has been fired from BBC’s MasterChef as 50 people make fresh allegations against him ( 
Image:
BBC /Shine TV)
A university student claimed she met Wallace in a nightclub with friends in 2013 and after she asked for a photo with him, he allegedly reached up her skirt and pinched her bottom.

One woman alleged Wallace put his hand up her dress and groped her at an industry ball in 2014 while a junior worker claimed he dropped his trousers and wasn’t wearing underwear.

A number of men have reportedly claimed they witnessed Wallace making inappropriate sexual comments. Recent claims made to the BBC are said to include a 19-year-old MasterChef worker who tried to complain about Wallace’s comments about her body in 2022.

A former policeman also reportedly tried to raise concerns about Wallace’s sexually inappropriate language to the BBC in 2023. Many of those who have made the complaints are young female freelancers who say they did not feel they could complain about Wallace without negative career repercussions.

Alice claimed she did raise concerns but they were dismissed when she worked on MasterChef between 2011 and 2013. She immediately reported Wallace allegedly dropping his trousers without wearing any underwear.

The woman claims she was told by a senior member of Shine’s production team: “You’re over 16, you’re not being ‘Jimmy Saviled’.” Another woman, who has been named Anna, claimed Wallace pulled his trousers down in front of her during a photo shoot in 2012.

She claimed she could see he was not wearing underwear but felt she could not make a complaint as she was relatively junior. Anna has decided to speak up after she was left furious by Wallace’s social media post last year.

He claimed the allegations against him had come from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”. A publicist named Esther told the BBC about an alleged incident where Wallace pushed his way into her hotel room.

She claims he took off his clothes and asked: “Exactly what is it that you do?” Esther said she told Wallace she was not interested and claimed Wallace climbed into her bed and fell asleep.

The woman said she didn’t know what to do and decided to sleep at the edge of her bed with her clothes on. Wallace allegedly put his hand on her bottom when he woke and told her she had a “nice arse”.

In a lengthy statement on Instagram today, Wallace wrote: “I have taken the decision to speak out ahead of the publication of the Silkins report – a decision I do not take lightly. But after 21 years of loyal service to the BBC, I cannot sit in silence while my reputation is further damaged to protect others. I have now been cleared by the Silkins report of the most serious and sensational accusations made against me.

“The most damaging claims (including allegations from public figures, which have not been upheld) were found to be baseless after a full and forensic six-month investigation.”

The lengthy statement then accuses the BBC of “peddling sensationalised gossip masquerading as properly corroborated stories”, as Gregg continues: “To be clear, the Silkin’s Report exonerates me of all the serious allegations which made headlines last year and finds me primarily guilty of inappropriate language between 2005 and 2018. 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.”

The Silkins report is officially due out on Thursday, but the dad-of-three’s legal team have been given an early steer, according to insiders. A series of complaints were made about the MasterChef last year, including ‘inappropriate behaviour’ and allegations of touching an assistant’s bottom on the BBC show.

Gregg stepped down from the show after denying the allegations, with his lawyers strongly denying Gregg engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature. Gregg insisted via his legal team: “It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.”

A BBC spokesperson told The Mirror : “Banijay UK instructed the law firm Lewis Silkin to run an investigation into allegations against Gregg Wallace. We are not going to comment until the investigation is complete and the findings are published.”