Claim by former winner that creators of BBC and MasterChef show have supported Gregg Wallace’s behavior for two decades

A former Masterchef winner has claimed BBC show makers spent 20 years encouraging Gregg Wallace’s alleged ‘inappropriate behaviour’.

Wallace, 60, is facing a mountain of allegations from women who have continued to come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct in recent days.

The ex-greengrocer recently announced that he would be stepping away from his role as a presenter on MasterChef. This decision comes after close to twenty years on the show. Allegations of misconduct have surfaced regarding his behavior while working on the set of the show. These accusations span five different seasons, covering a time frame from 2005 to 2022.

Various individuals, including staff members and former contestants like Emma Kennedy and Kirsty Wark, have come forward stating that Wallace’s actions made them uneasy during their time on the show.

Accusations against Wallace include engaging in inappropriate behavior such as being naked on set with only a sock covering his genitals, changing clothes in front of female staff members, and even sexually harassing crew members.

Other allegations include sharing intimate details of his sex life, becoming fixated on a female staff member who was dating women and asking her about the ‘logistics’ and flirting with younger women on set.

Addressing the allegations, Wallace’s lawyers have denied the claims saying ‘it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature’. 

Former Masterchef winner Mat Follas has now opened up on his experience on the show in 2009 saying that Wallace’s alleged behavior was ‘allowed’ and ‘certainly not discouraged’.

He described Wallace as ‘loud’ and ‘inappropriate’ and claimed that show runners have ‘spent 20 years encouraging the behavior’.

Posting on his Instagram page, he wrote: ‘I may regret posting this but let’s have some balance rather than sanctimonious b*******. 

‘Anyone who has been in the studio is not surprised at the revelations about Gregg’s behavior in the studio. Anyone who has been there knows there was an environment where Gregg was allowed, encouraged… certainly not discouraged.

‘IMHO (in my honest opinion) the blame is cultural they hired a loud, inappropriate, funny man to perform, they have spent 20 years encouraging the behaviour.

‘He should have been censured when I was on the show 16 years ago but no one did, that I saw… including the BBC observers that were often present.’

Mr Follas added that he had no comment on other behaviour Wallace has been accused of outside the studio. 

‘It takes huge bravery to step forward and he deserves what comes if they are accurate,’ he continued.

‘I guess that the end of my chances of reappearing on the show.’ 

Wallace has now stepped down from MasterChef while an external investigation is conducted by production company Banijay UK.

But he sparked outrage on Sunday after taking to social media and blaming a handful of ‘middle-aged women of a certain age’ for the allegations against him.

Banijay UK, the show’s production company, previously said the complaints were made to the BBC by ‘individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with Gregg Wallace on one of our shows’.

A spokesperson said: ‘Banijay UK takes this matter incredibly seriously but while the external investigation is ongoing, we won’t be commenting on individual allegations.

‘It is important to note that MasterChef welfare processes are regularly adapted and strengthened and there are clear protocols to support both crew and contributors.’

A BBC spokesperson said they ‘will provide whatever assistance we can’ to the investigation and that they are ‘already running our own review into workplace culture’.

Former celebrity contestant Ms Walk alleges that Wallace told stories and jokes of a ‘sexualised nature’ in front of contestants and crew while filming Celebrity MasterChef in 2011 on two occasions, adding that his gags and comments were ‘really, really in the wrong place’.

While, Celebrity MasterChef winner Ms Kennedy claimed she first reported Wallace’s behaviour 12 years ago, after she allegedly witnessed him grope a camera assistant during a photoshoot for the 2012 finals. 

Earlier this week, a former MasterChef contestant Emma Phillips-Jennings accused Wallace of thrusting his groin at her face three times as she crouched in front of an oven.

Ms Phillips-Jennings, who featured on the hit Beeb show in 2009, claims Wallace carried out the disturbing act while making a sick joke about her ‘father’s meat’.

She claimed the presenter behaved inappropriately with her as she prepared a stuffed trout dish – only for the scene to allegedly be edited out.

The former contestant, then aged 29, revealed that Wallace asked her if she learned to cook from her mother and she said her father was the chef because her mother was Jewish and lived on a kibbutz where she had other set jobs.

Recalling the exchange, she told The Sun: ‘I said she had not even seen raw meat until she met my father. As soon as I said that, Gregg then said, ‘Yeah and he then showed her his meat’.

The Telegraph previously reported how a former colleague claimed Wallace held her head and thrust his body towards her when she was kneeling in front of him to clean a mark on his trousers.

The complaint also alleges that Wallace walked into the MasterChef studio ‘completely naked except for a sock pulled over his penis’ before doing a ‘silly dance’.

It comes as under-fire BBC bosses said MasterChef Christmas specials would be pulled in a major U-turn, having previously said it would continue airing all filmed episodes.

On Tuesday, The Guardian reported accusations that Wallace asked a British Sign Language interpreter to sign ‘big boobs’ and ‘sexy bum’ in front of a live audience at the BBC Good Food show.  

Wallace’s ghostwriter for his autobiography has also come forward, accusing the MasterChef presenter of sexually harassing her on multiple occasions in his house, at a restaurant and in his sports car.

Shannon Kyle, now 47, who wrote Wallace’s 2012 memoir Life On A Plate, claims the BBC star answered the door in just a towel, which he later dropped, made ‘revolting’ and ‘sickening’ sexualised remarks and touched her inappropriately.

Wallace’s co-host John Torode said he found the recent allegations ‘truly upsetting’ – but notably failed to speak up in support of his embattled co-host. 

Torode, who has presented the BBC One cooking show alongside Wallace for the last 19 years, said: ‘The thought of anyone who has appeared on our show not having a brilliant experience is awful to hear, and I have found the recent press reports truly upsetting.’

In a statement posted on Instagram, Torode said he had been away filming MasterChef overseas since last Friday. 

‘I love my job, and I love MasterChef,’ he said. ‘I love being part of it and will continue to be part of it.

‘During the last few days, I’ve been trying to make the best cookery programme, so being busy making the show and caring for our contestants has allowed me little time to think about anything else, but that has been hard.’

Torode said he ‘fully’ supports the investigation into Wallace’s alleged historical misconduct, but could not comment further while it is ongoing.

‘I hope that you all understand and respect my silence on the matter moving forward,’ he added. 

Also on Wednesday, The Sun reported that BBC bosses received complaints about Wallace’s lewd behaviour on Strictly Come Dancing 10 years ago, but let him stay on the show.

The Beeb appeared to have not responded to claims.  

Wallace, who was paired with dancer Aliona Vilani, was accused of making sexual remarks in 2014. 

In one clip, Wallace says to his pro partner: ‘I haven’t worn a pair of pants since I was about 17-years-old.’

The presenter is then seen gesturing to his crotch which prompts a stunned Ms Vilani to ask, ‘You for real?’ 

He then gestures to his crotch, prompting a visibly uncomfortable Aliona to ask, ‘You for real?’

A BBC spokeswoman said of the Strictly complaint against Wallace: ‘Whilst we do not comment on individuals, we take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them. 

‘We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.’ 

It’s understood that at least one member of the show informed Strictly bosses and held meetings with them over his behaviour early on during the 2014 series.

But Wallace continued competing until he was the first celebrity eliminated in week two. 

As the Wallace scandal intensified, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said women who make reports of inappropriate behaviour must have ‘confidence that they will be taken seriously’.

Sir Keir said politicians should be ready to put in place ‘mechanisms’ that would instil that confidence, after a Labour MP asked him about ‘women of a certain age’, reflecting comments for which broadcaster Wallace has apologised.

Alison Hume (Scarborough and Whitby) asked at Prime Minister’s Questions: ‘Given that a significant number of members in this place are, regardless of class, ‘women of a certain age’, would the Prime Minister agree with me that when a woman of a certain age, or indeed any woman of any age from any background, says they have experienced sexual harassment or inappropriate behaviour, they should be listened to, supported and the perpetrator dealt with?’

Sir Keir replied: ‘I certainly agree with that and I think everybody across the House would.

‘She’s right because one of the greatest barriers that women face when coming forward and reporting unacceptable behaviour in the workplace is having confidence that they will be taken seriously.

‘And that requires all of us to put in place mechanisms and arrangements to make that possible.

‘Everybody should be treated with dignity and respect and I’m proud of the fact that the Employment Rights Bill we are passing will strengthen protections from sexual harassment at work.’ 

The presenter apologised on Monday for claiming in an Instagram video that complaints about his behaviour came from ‘a handful of middle-class women of a certain age’, and added he would ‘take some time out’.

Wallace said in a video posted to Instagram earlier this week: ‘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.

‘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.’

Banijay UK, said Wallace was ‘committed to fully co-operating throughout the process’.

‘Whilst these complainants have not raised the allegations directly with our show producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel that it is appropriate to conduct an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate,’ the company said.

‘While this review is under way, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully co-operating throughout the process.

‘Banijay UK’s duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions, with multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously, clearly promoted on set.

‘Whilst these are historical allegations, incidences brought to our attention where these expectations are not met, are thoroughly investigated and addressed appropriately.’

A BBC spokesperson added: ‘We would like to thank those who have had the courage to speak out. It can be hard to come forward, but we want to assure everyone who does that we will treat anything raised with us with the greatest possible care.

‘Banijay UK launched the review because they have the direct contractual relationship with Gregg Wallace. He is not employed by the BBC. 

‘When issues have been raised with the BBC we have taken action, referring issues to the relevant production company and challenging his behaviour directly as has been widely reported.

‘We hope Banijay UK’s independent investigation can be concluded rigorously and as swiftly as possible. We want the review to follow due process and ensure fairness to all involved.

‘We will provide whatever assistance we can to the investigation. We are already running our own review into workplace culture. 

‘It is vital that we have an industry that is not only committed to the highest standards of behaviour and conduct, but that is reflected in people’s experiences. We have always been clear that should people want to raise issues with the BBC, they will be taken very seriously.’