GREGG Wallace had pledged in his damning statement there would be “more casualties” from the BBC’s hapless handling of the investigation into him.
If the BBC has its way then John Torode will be the next.
John Torode does not deserve to go down like Gregg Wallace[/caption]
John married ex-Celebrity MasterChef contestant Lisa Faulkner[/caption]
Which beggars the question, where the hell does this all end?
In its desperate efforts to save its mighty cash cow, MasterChef, from cancellation, the BBC seems hellbent on cancelling its own.
Gregg’s behaviour, by his own admission, was unacceptable.
But poor John is now being hauled down with him.
His mistake? Telling a story, that he cannot remember telling, in a bar seven or eight years ago, and using an offensive term.
As soon as he was informed the term was racist, he immediately apologised.
No complaint was made.
Nobody actually knows when it happened. Or if it happened.
Certainly John doesn’t believe it happened.
Now, so desperate to clean up its house, or indeed kitchen, is Auntie, that she is asking John to jump before he is pushed.
Incredibly, they suggested he fabricate a mental health crisis, and walk.
How, in this day and age, was this allowed to happen?
Quite rightly, John refused.
Putting matters of ethics to one side, the BBC’s witch-hunt against its talent is becoming ever more extreme.
To be clear, Gregg should have gone — but if this isolated incident is his only offence, John does not deserve to go down too.
At this rate, there will be no-one left to present its shows.
What were the main findings of the report?
FORTY-five allegations made against Gregg Wallace during his time on MasterChef, including one of “unwelcome physical contact”, were found to have been substantiated.
An independent report commissioned by production company Banijay assessed 83 allegations against Wallace.
The report substantiated:
– Twelve claims he made inappropriate jokes and innuendo;
– Sixteen reports he made sexually explicit comments;
– Two allegations that he made sexualised comments to or about someone;
– Four complaints that he made culturally insensitive or racist comments;
– Three claims that he was in a state of undress;
– Seven allegations of bullying;
– One allegation of unwanted touching.
The allegations span from 2005 to 2024.
