CELEBRITY MasterChef winner Emma Kennedy first reported Gregg Wallace’s behavior 12 years ago.
The author revealed yesterday that she complained in 2012 after witnessing his inappropriate behavior towards a woman who works on the show.
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Celebrity MasterChef winner Emma Kennedy was the first to report Gregg Wallace’s behavior 12 years ago Credit: Emilie Fjola Sandy
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Gregg quit MasterChef after being accused of making sexual comments by 13 fellow contestants
In a powerful message, she said: “Then they knew. They knew before and have known ever since.”
Emma also said the PR team working for MasterChef were aware of Wallace’s “problematic” behavior and were worried it was only a matter of time before it became public.
The BBC now faces serious questions about why it took so long to act.
Emma wrote: “For the record, I complained about the behavior I witnessed on MasterChef in 2012. They knew then. They knew before and have known ever since.
READ MORE ABOUT GREG WALLACE
“I was in the studio for a series of photos of the finalists that year. The photographer had a young assistant.
“At one point she bent down to handle the equipment and GW used that as an opportunity to grope her ass. I told him it was inappropriate, I informed the production.
“Later, after we finished that series, we all went to the Good Food show. I had a long conversation with a member of the PR team at MC and the only topic of conversation was ‘when will the GW issue come to light’. That was in 2012.”
Emma, 57, won the seventh series of the celebrity show with a menu of pan-fried turbot and poached meringue in creme anglaise.
At the time, she described her win as “up there in one of the all-time lifetime achievements”.
Wallace praised her cooking skills, saying she prepared dishes “that are as good as many professionals – she’s amazing”.
Watch Gregg Wallace say ‘I’ll chew the living daylights out of your little cookie’ in MasterChef remastered clip
Emma yesterday said she had no problem with fellow MasterChef host John Torode, describing him as “absolutely lovely”.
Her comments prompted other claims about Wallace’s behavior.
One woman wrote: “I was a contestant in 2009. Ever since the story broke about an unnamed BBC presenter being investigated for misconduct, I expected it to be him.”
Another said: “2018 contestant and yes, when I got home I told my husband about the speech and the shenanigans going on behind the scenes. So it’s not appropriate.”
A third woman tweeted: “I was a contestant in 2014, the whole time he was talking loudly about how he had to trade his wife for a younger model. Gross.”
Another woman, who met Wallace at an awards show in 2011, wrote: “I told him I loved the show, to which he responded by telling some guy what he could do to me. I was in such a shock.
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Gregg was accused of being open about his sex life, removing his top in front of a young female employee and telling another not to wear pants Credit: Rex
“I was disgusted and immediately left there. Sounds like I wasn’t alone. I could never watch his shows without seeing him give his friend a creepy smile.”
And a man who met Wallace at an event in 2012 wrote: “I refused to watch the MC while he was on — I witnessed his behavior at an event he was a guest at. A terrible example of how the ‘system’ seeks to protect predators and tries to discredit those who experience it — and that must change.”
When contacted by The Sun about Emma’s allegations, a BBC spokesperson referred the inquiry to production company Banijay, which makes MasterChef.
The Beeb previously said: “We have always been clear that any behavior that falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.”
Banijay said on Thursday: “Our expectations regarding behavior are made clear to both cast and crew in all productions.”
And a spokesman for No10 said: “It is correct that a thorough investigation is being carried out.”
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Source: HIS Education