MasterChef report upholds 45 claims against TV presenter

A report into BBC present MasterChef has discovered 45 allegations in opposition to Gregg Wallace had been upheld together with one in every of unwelcome bodily contact and one other three of being in a state of undress.In whole, the report says 83 allegations had been made in opposition to the TV presenter, with the vast majority of the substantiated claims regarding inappropriate sexual language and humour, but in addition culturally insensitive and racist feedback.The inquiry, carried out by an unbiased regulation agency, was ordered by MasterChef’s manufacturing firm Banijay within the wake of a BBC Information investigation which first revealed claims of inappropriate sexual feedback in opposition to Wallace.Forward of the report’s launch, Wallace insisted it had cleared him of “essentially the most severe and sensational allegations”.Final week, it emerged that he had been sacked as presenter of the cooking present, as dozens extra folks got here ahead to BBC Information with recent claims in opposition to him.The 50 individuals who got here ahead to BBC Information stated they encountered Wallace throughout a variety of reveals and settings.Round 20 had been on Banijay productions, however others associated to areas like night time golf equipment, awards ceremonies and different TV reveals. A few of the people we heard from additionally contributed to the Banijay inquiry.A choice has not but been made about an unseen sequence of MasterChef which was filmed final 12 months.Monday’s report additionally says that 10 standalone allegations had been made in opposition to different folks, two of which had been substantiated.Each of these substantiated allegations , which didn’t contain Wallace, relate to inappropriate language, one in every of swearing and one in every of racist language.The report additionally says that in the course of the course of the investigation, Wallace was identified with autism, writing: “The findings made must be seen within the context of his neurodiversity.”However it provides: “Mr Wallace accepts that his analysis might assist to elucidate a few of his actions, however he doesn’t want to conceal behind it.”Final week, Wallace confronted a backlash from autism charities and different organisations working with disabled folks after he appeared to hyperlink the claims of misconduct in opposition to him together with his current autism analysis.The investigation workforce discovered proof that between 2005 and 2024, six complaints had been raised with the manufacturing firm and 6 with the BBC.Patrick Holland, chief govt of Banijay UK, stated in earlier years, “it’s clear that escalation procedures weren’t as strong as they need to have been”.”We’re extraordinarily sorry to anybody who has been impacted by this behaviour and felt unable to talk up on the time or that their grievance was not adequately addressed,” he added.A BBC assertion stated: “Though the total extent of those points weren’t recognized on the related time, alternatives had been missed to handle this behaviour – each by the manufacturing corporations operating MasterChef and the BBC.”We settle for extra might and may have been finished sooner.”The BBC stated it apologised to “everybody who has been impacted by Mr Wallace’s behaviour”, and confirmed it has no plans to work with the presenter in future.Gregg Wallace has been contacted for remark.