Accusations have been made by the ghostwriter of Gregg Wallace’s biography, claiming that the MasterChef host sexually harassed her on various occasions. The incidents allegedly took place at Wallace’s home, in a restaurant, and in his sports car.
Shannon Kyle, who penned Wallace’s autobiography “Life On A Plate” in 2012, alleges that the BBC personality greeted her at the door wearing only a towel, which he then removed. She further claimed that he made inappropriate sexual comments that she found disturbing and offensive, and that he also behaved inappropriately by touching her.
Wallace, 60, is facing a mountain of allegations from women who have continued to come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct in recent days.
Following these allegations, Wallace decided to step down from his role as the host of MasterChef after nearly two decades. This decision came after 13 women, including Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark, came forward with similar accusations spanning a 17-year period across five different shows from 2005 to 2022.
Ms Kyle has now joined a growing list of women to launch fresh allegations against the shamed presenter since Thursday. Wallace denies Ms Kyle’s claims.
It comes as 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.
Ms Kyle, who was 35 at the time, told BBC Newsnight that Wallace shared explicit details of his own sex life when they worked together on the book between May and August 2012.
The writer, now 47, also alleges Wallace touched her thigh when she was sat in the passenger seat of his sports car, felt her bottom after he appeared at the Good Food Show in Birmingham and made a revolting sexual joke about Eton Mess.
Lawyers representing Wallace told MailOnline: ‘Our client has denied that he has engaged in any such behaviour, and he specifically denies any sexual misconduct with Ms Kyle.’
The presenter’s lawyers have strongly denied he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.
Speaking to Newsnight about working with Wallace, Ms Kyle said that the first interview went normally and then they agreed to meet again whenever suited him.
Ms Kyle claims that Wallace began to describe his love detail in graphic detail on the second or third interview at his own restaurant at around 8am.
‘He was dating lots of different women. And he started telling me about these dates, who the women were, where he met them. And then in very graphic details, what sexual acts they had done together,’ Ms Kyle told Victoria Derbyshire.
‘He talked about spanking a lot. He also talked about one of his girlfriends on all fours in front of a mirror. He talked in incredibly sexual detail, which at the time it was just so shocking because it was completely unnecessary for the book.’
Ms Kyle said on one occasion, Wallace opened the door to his flat ‘completely naked, except for a towel around his waist’.
She claims that he said he had just got back from the gym and had a shower and that she should go into the living room.
Ms Kyle says she then asked Wallace: ‘Look, can you just go and get dressed?’
While waiting on the sofa, she claims that Wallace then returned in the towel and that his trousers were folded behind the cushion she was next to.
‘Then I kind of looked up and then he dropped the towel,’ she said.
Ms Kyle was asked whether the towel dropping could have been an accident, but she replied ‘definitely not’.
‘I felt quite vulnerable because I’m on my own in a flat with a man. He’s naked,’ she added.
Ms Kyle claims that she had signed a non-disclosure agreement before agreeing to write the book for Wallace.
The author said she was ‘worried about losing the job’ so she decided to ‘try and push through’, adding: ‘It was just really revolting.’
At a separate meeting during a restaurant meal, Ms Kyle claims that Wallace made sick sexual jokes, including: ‘If you won’t let me sleep with you, would you like my [anus]?’
Ms Kyle added: ‘And after rejecting his advances, he said I “should keep an open mind and he’d keep his k***clean next time”.
While eating dessert, she claims Wallace said: ‘What would you think if I put some of the Eton Mess you’re eating on my willy, then?’
In a slew of accusations, Ms Kyle also claims that Wallace asked her to kiss him by whispering in her ear. She said she was driven to tears.
Ms Kyle has also alleged that Wallace picked her up in his sports car on the way to an interview before touching her thigh and knee while changing gear.
She said his behaviour made her move away and that she told him to stop, but when driving home he continued to do it again.
After threatening to hit Wallace, she said he finally stopped and did not try again.
However, Ms Kyle claims that the alleged harassment and inappropriate touching continued at a later date.
In one of her final interviews for the book, she claims that Wallace touched her on the bottom in a hotel car park in Birmingham – where the presenter was due to appear at the Good Food Show.
The BBC has pulled its MasterChef Christmas specials amid a backlash as allegations continue to mount against the presenter.
The Wanted star Max George admitted he was disappointed that the specials were being pulled, but said the allegations were ‘very serious’.
Sharing a photo of him on the show in the classic MasterChef white apron, he wrote: ‘Was looking forward to Masterchef Xmas special, but obviously there are much more important matters going on.’
As his followers flooded the comments section with commiserations and support, one person wrote: ‘It’s so frustrating that because of a certain individual, people on the show such as yourself don’t get to share their appearance on it with us’.
He responded saying: ‘it’s ok! I’m sure I’ll be cooking again soon .. it’s a very serious so we have to respect that.’
It comes as Wallace’s co-host John Torode said he found the recent allegations ‘truly upsetting’ on Wednesday.
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.
Last night, Wallace, 60, faced fresh allegations, with BBC News reporting that one woman said he touched her bottom after an event and another said he pressed his crotch against her while filming on a different show.
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’.
He faces multiple complaints of inappropriate behaviour, originally from 13 people across a range of shows over a 17-year period which production company Banijay UK has said it is taking ‘incredibly seriously’ amid an external investigation.
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.’
