AXED MasterChef host Gregg Wallace last night declared war on the BBC, raging: “I will not go quietly. I will not be cancelled for convenience.”
The 60-year-old star’s outburst came as the Beeb announced he had been sacked following an inquiry into alleged misconduct.
Gregg Wallace was sacked by the BBC following an inquiry into alleged misconduct[/caption]
The BBC said another 50 people had made claims about his behaviour across several shows, pictured on MasterChef with co-host John Torode[/caption]
And the corporation turned up the heat by saying another 50 people had made claims about his behaviour across several shows.
They included new allegations he groped a MasterChef worker and pulled his trousers down in front of another.
Wallace, who left the hit cooking show in November and danced on 2014’s Strictly, denies the claims. Sources said he was considering suing the BBC.
And we can reveal that on Sunday he was rushed to hospital in Ashford, Kent, with a suspected heart attack after two days of agonising chest pains.
He told a pal: “The stress of this betrayal brought on my suspected heart attack. It’s been hell.”
The report into Wallace’s behaviour, ordered by production firm Banijay and conducted by external lawyers Lewis Silkin, is officially due out tomorrow.
But yesterday, two days after leaving hospital, Wallace was told his contract will be terminated.
He posted online: “After 21 years of loyal service to the BBC, I cannot sit in silence while my reputation is further damaged to protect others.”
He pointed out he had been exonerated of the most serious allegations in the Silkin report, including a separate claim of groping.
And he said: “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 stress of this betrayal brought on my suspected heart attack. It’s been hell
Gregg Wallace
Wallace — who has never been publicly backed by co-host of 20 years John Torode — is now poised to take Banijay or the BBC to tribunal.
He has taken on “rottweiler” lawyer Dan Morrison, who represented Nigel Farage in the NatWest/Coutts bank account closure scandal.
In a further blow to the Beeb, Wallace’s lawyers could push for the release of the report’s executive summary, which might jeopardise senior MasterChef execs and talent.
An insider said: “This is war. Gregg is raging and, frankly, has nothing left to lose. He feels he has been hung out to dry. He was employed to play the fun, unfiltered cheeky chappy greengrocer and he played that role as he always pledged to do.
“He feels there’s been a cover-up and other people’s bad behaviour ignored.
“Gregg will not go quietly — it is an absolute nightmare for the BBC.”
The star’s mum died from a heart attack in March.
In April he revealed he had considered suicide.
Sources said Wallace was considering suing the BBC[/caption]
Wallace has taken on ‘rottweiler’ lawyer Dan Morrison[/caption]
In his statement yesterday he also claimed the BBC had failed to help him over neurodiversity, since formally diagnosed as autism.
He said: “Nothing was done to investigate my disability or protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment for over 20 years. That failure is now being quietly buried.”
A source added: “Gregg has been struggling with his mental health and was rushed to hospital over the weekend. Doctors have blamed stress, and he came out only to find out almost immediately he will lose his livelihood.
“He is furious and devastated and, after much deliberation, is taking on an incredibly bullish legal team to fight his corner. Gregg has seen the report and believes he is cleared of the most serious wrongdoing allegations, so has taken great consolation from that.”
After 21 years of loyal service to the BBC, I cannot sit in silence while my reputation is further damaged to protect others
Gregg Wallace
Banijay’s probe began nine months ago after BBC News revealed he faced 13 complaints from women, which later rose to 30.
Wallace was then vilified for saying they stemmed from “middle-class women of a certain age”.
HOST DEMANDS BBC ANSWERS
EX-TELLY host Gregg Wallace issued a statement online yesterday. Here are key extracts.
“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.
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.
I was hired by the BBC and MasterChef as the cheeky greengrocer.
A real person with warmth, character, rough edges and all. For over two decades, that authenticity was part of the brand.
Now, in a sanitised world, that same personality is seen as a problem.
My neurodiversity, now formally diagnosed as autism, was suspected and discussed by colleagues across countless seasons of Master Chef.
Yet nothing was done to investigate my disability or protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment for over 20 years.
That failure is now being quietly buried.
Unfortunately, the full report will never be seen. I would like to know why? I will not go quietly.
I will not be cancelled for convenience.”
It is understood he has now been cleared of bullying allegations brought by 2021 contestant Penny Lancaster.
Broadcaster and 2011 series star Kirsty Wark’s evidence was discredited after investigators were told she had been “dining out” on telling stories about Wallace, including at the Edinburgh Festival last year.
The claims of Wallace’s constant innuendos, which left crew in tears, by 2011 contestant Jackie Kearney have also been thrown out, it is understood.
In two categories — “demeaning” nicknames for staff and Wallace being “direct” with contestants — investigators said his actions were unintentional.
Gregg has been struggling with his mental health and was rushed to hospital over the weekend. Doctors have blamed stress
A source
It is understood his autism diagnosis has been used to explain some behaviour.
Other allegations were upheld.
They included that he opened his dressing room door with a sock over his privates and shouted “Hooray.”
He was also found against in terms of inappropriate language and repetition of sexualised jokes.
The BBC is under enormous pressure to save money, and is unlikely to offer Wallace any payout or redundancy package.
He may get a six-figure payout from a tribunal in his favour.
Wallace has never been publicly backed by co-host of 20 years Torode[/caption]
Gregg and Aliona Vilani on Strictly[/caption]
Gregg Wallace – MasterChef scandal in Brief
GREGG Wallace has stepped down from his MasterChef hosting role after a probe into alleged inappropriate behaviour. But what’s the situation?
Regular MasterChef host Gregg Wallace is currently the subject of a probe after an investigation was launched into his alleged misconduct over a number of years.
Gregg has been accused of making sexual remarks to 13 colleagues including Beeb anchor Kirsty Wark – accusations he denies.
The 60-year-old has now stepped away from the BBC show while historical misconduct allegations against him are investigated.
Yet the former greengrocer spoke out on social media to blast the “women of a certain age” who he claimed were behind the allegations.
The cooking show’s production company, Banijay UK, has said law firm Lewis Silkin would lead the investigation into Wallace’s alleged misconduct.
