Former MasterChef presenter launches legal action against BBC

Former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace is launching authorized motion in opposition to the BBC over a knowledge safety declare, in accordance with courtroom paperwork.The case has been filed on the Excessive Courtroom, however no additional particulars have but been made public.Wallace was sacked in July after a report upheld greater than 40 allegations about his conduct on MasterChef.A BBC spokesperson stated: “We’ve not been formally notified of any authorized proceedings so at this stage we’re unable to remark.”Wallace’s representatives have been approached for a remark.BBC Information is editorially impartial from the broader company.Wallace had hosted MasterChef for 20 years, however stepped away from presenting the cooking present final 12 months after going through a string of misconduct claims.The present’s manufacturing firm Banijay ordered a right away inquiry into the allegations, which was carried out by an impartial regulation agency.This summer season, the report revealed that 45 claims in opposition to Wallace had been substantiated, together with certainly one of unwelcome bodily contact and three of being in a state of undress.In whole, the report stated 83 allegations have been made in opposition to the TV presenter, with the vast majority of the upheld claims regarding inappropriate sexual language and humour, but in addition culturally insensitive or racist feedback.Following that report, Wallace issued a press release to the PA information company, saying that “not one of the severe allegations in opposition to me have been upheld”.”I challenged the remaining problem of undesirable touching however have needed to settle for a distinction in notion, and I’m deeply sorry for any misery brought about. It was by no means meant.”A separate declare that his co-host John Torode had used a severely offensive racist time period was additionally substantiated. Torode has stated he has “no recollection” of the incident.Each presenters have been sacked, however the BBC determined to nonetheless broadcast this 12 months’s amateurs collection of MasterChef – with each Wallace and Torode in it – for the sake of the cooks who had taken half in it.On Tuesday, the BBC’s director common Tim Davie defended that call, saying the “overwhelming majority” of cooks on the present wished it to air.However he added: “I feel the implications for the people who introduced MasterChef have been very vital, they’re now not working with the BBC, so there are these penalties.”Chatting with MPs, he additionally stated he was “not letting something lie” when it got here to rooting out abuses of energy throughout the company.Earlier this week, it was revealed that meals critic Grace Dent and chef Anna Haugh are the brand new hosts of MasterChef.