What are the allegations against Gregg Wallace? Sir Rod Stewart blasts ‘MasterChef UK’ host amid Kirsty Wark misconduct scandal

English broadcaster, entrepreneur, and writer Gregg Wallace has stepped down as the MasterChef UK presenter after he was accused by multiple people of making s*xualized remarks.

Disclaimer: This article has references to s*xual misconduct that may upset the readers. Discretion is advised.

This comes in the wake of BBC News sending Wallace’s representatives a letter on November 26 compiling the allegations against him from 13 people who have worked alongside him for the last 17 years.

Journalist Kirsty Wark, who was a contestant on Celebrity MasterChef in 2011, is one of the primary accusers who has claimed that Gregg Wallace reportedly made “s*xualized” jokes during the shooting of the show. Others have accused him of reportedly showing them his shirtless pictures, openly talking about his s*x life, asking them for messages, and advice on dating multiple women at a time.

So far, Wallace’s legal team has denied the accusations. Meanwhile, Banijay UK, the production company for MasterChef has reportedly opened an investigation in which the accused is said to be cooperating.

In the wake of this, British rock and pop singer-songwriter Sir Rod Stewart took to Instagram on November 28 and called out Gregg Wallace. He shared how it was a “good riddance” that Wallace was no longer part of the reality cooking show, and called him a “tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully.”

Steward even accused Wallace of humiliating his wife Penny Lancaster who was a contestant on the show in 2021 and was eliminated during the quarter-finals, adding, “Karma got ya.”

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Exploring further the allegations against Gregg Wallace

Kirsty Wark told BBC News that during the early morning filming of her show BBC Newsnight, Gregg Wallace allegedly narrated tales and made jokes of “s*xualized nature” on two occasions, in the presence of the cast and crew. She further mentioned how the alleged remarks were “really, really in the wrong place.”

Wark shared that while her experience hosting the show was “joyous” and everyone involved was “fantastic,” the only “fly in the ointment” was Gregg Wallace, who often reportedly made others “uncomfortable” and “embarrassed.”

"I was actually more angry than anything else because I thought it was so inappropriate. And in a sense what I thought was it was about power more than anything else, that he felt he could," she further claimed.

An anonymous woman who worked with Gregg on MasterChef in 2019 alleged that he openly discussed his s*x life, while another person said that he allegedly started at her chest. The latter reportedly worked with the accused on BBC Good Food Show in 2010.

A male employee who worked on the cooking show in 2005-2006 claimed that the MDE recipient often said s*xually provocative things on set. Another woman who worked on Channel 5’s Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekends shared that the latter was reportedly impressed with her same-s*x relationships and asked her how it worked.

Other people who have worked with Gregg Wallace over the years made similar claims including allegedly removing his top-wear in front of female co-workers wanting to give them a “fashion show,” and once reportedly telling a junior female employee how he wasn’t wearing underwear underneath his jeans.

While Gregg Wallace’s attorneys have denied all these allegations,” he took to Instagram on November 28 evening and shared his thanks for “all the people getting in touch, reaching out, and showing their support.” He added, “It's good of you - thank you very much.”

Notably, this is not the first time misconduct allegations have emerged against Gregg Wallace. Earlier, in 2018, two female staff on BBC’s Impossible Celebrities show complained against him. Back then, the duo alleged he made s*xual jokes that were “disgusting,” seemingly sharing how often he had s*x, and how good of a lover he was – which made them uncomfortable.

However, Wallace later apologized while the complainants were sent for counseling. A formal HR investigation was also conducted that reportedly concluded his behavior was indeed “unacceptable and unprofessional.” While no severe steps were taken against him, a BBC executive held a 90-minute meeting explaining to Wallace how seriously the organization took such matters.

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In the wake of recent accusations, a BBC spokesperson shared,

“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 behavior which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.”

The current investigation began in the summer of 2024 after BBC News became aware of years-long allegations, spanning 2005 to 2022 across five shows. MasterChef episodes featuring the 60-year-old Wallace, which have already been filmed, will continue airing.