JOHN Torode has repeatedly raised concerns about Gregg Wallace’s behavior on MasterChef — but nothing has been done.
The chef, 59, was unhappy with some of Wallace’s speech on set and was aware of his reputation as a bull, friends say.
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John Torode has repeatedly raised concerns about Gregg Wallace’s behavior on MasterChef — but nothing has been doneCredit: BBC
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Torode was not happy with some of Wallace’s speech on setCredit: BBC
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Wallace has been accused of making sexual remarks to staff and guests on multiple programs over a 17-year periodCredit: BBC
The Australian is said to have spoken to officials from production company Banijay about his co-host.
He and actress wife Lisa Faulkner now want to publicly distance themselves from the scandal, considering it a PR disaster.
Last night a source said: “John’s not stupid – of course he was aware of some of Gregg’s less than sweet behaviour. He didn’t condone it, he didn’t deal with it.
He doesn’t have a machismo sense of humor and when he said the two weren’t friends in real life, he knew what he was doing.
READ MORE ABOUT GREG WALLACE
“It was his way of distancing himself when attempts to do so in other ways failed.
“He repeatedly pointed out his behavior and distasteful remarks to the executors on the set and made it clear that he was not happy. It was never a formal complaint, but a series of voiced concerns.
“He doesn’t know if an official record was ever made, but he got the feeling that the bosses needed to protect the MasterChef brand at all costs, and that meant turning a blind eye.
“He and Lisa are devastated by the accident and are considering hiring a PR to help them resolve the situation and get out as soon as possible.”
Wallace has been accused of making sexual comments to staff and guests on multiple programs over a 17-year period, as well as allegations that he groped colleagues and contestants.
He denies any sexually harassing behavior and has stepped down from MasterChef while Banijay UK investigates.
MasterChef hosts in Feud: Gregg Wallace vs. John Torode
This week John wrote on Instagram: “I love my job and I love MasterChef. I love being a part of it and will continue to be a part of it.
“It’s a terrible thought that anyone who has appeared on our show doesn’t have a brilliant track record and I find the recent media reports really upset me.
John isn’t stupid – of course he was aware of some of Gregg’s less cute behaviors. He did not forgive it, nor did he deal with it
Source
“But I hope everyone appreciates, the investigation is ongoing, which I fully support, so I can’t make any further comment at this stage and I hope you all understand and respect my silence on that.”
His wife Lisa, 52, who he met on Celebrity MasterChef in 2010, retweeted his message.
They and Wallace, 60, no longer follow each other on Instagram – a move the Londoner prompted because he was reportedly devastated that his co-host didn’t support him.
John was the best man at his co-host’s fourth wedding in 2016.
But in an interview the following year, he said the pair “weren’t really friends” – something Wallace later claimed was “excused” by BBC bosses.
A spokesman for John, who has presented MasterChef with Wallace since 2005, did not respond to requests for comment.
Gregg Wallace’s career so far
Gregg Wallace has been a familiar face on TV for years thanks to his role as a judge on MasterChef – but let’s take a closer look at his career so far…
- In 1989 he started George Allan’s Greengrocers, which grew to a turnover of £7.5 million.
- Gregg’s experience in the world of fruit and vegetables led him to co-host BBC Radio 4’s Veg Talk with Charlie Hicks for seven years.
- He then became the first host of Saturday Kitchen in 2002, a role he held for a year before being replaced by Antony Worrall Thompson in 2003.
- At the same time, Gregg presented a number of food-related TV specials, including Veg Out for the Discovery Channel.
- Gregg landed his most notable TV role as a co-host and judge on the BBC’s cooking competition show MasterChef in 2005. He stars alongside John Torode.
- In 2010, Gregg realized another lifelong dream of opening a restaurant. He opened the company Wallace & Co. in Putney.
- Then in 2012 he opened Gregg’s Bar & Grill in a joint venture with the Bermondsey Square Hotel.
- Gregg then landed a guest appearance on the BBC, presenting the documentary Supermarket Secrets in August 2013.
- Unfortunately, times were hard for Gregg, and in the same month it was announced that one of his companies, West Veg Limited, had failed, owing more than £500,000.
- In 2014, both of his restaurants went bust and Wallace & Co owed suppliers £150,000.
- However, his TV career continued to thrive, and in 2015 he became a regular host of the award-winning food documentary series Eat Well for Less? Gregg hosted the show for eight years before he left.
- Gregg then made Telly history again when he revived the BBC’s historical game series Time Commanders.
- More recently, the celebrity chef has presented a number of travel programs such as Big Weekends with Gregg Wallace, South Africa with Gregg Wallace and food mockumentary Gregg Wallace: Britain’s Meat Miracle.
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Source: HIS Education