Gregg Wallace has reportedly launched legal action against the BBC following his dismissal from his long-standing role as MasterChef co-host.
In November 2024, it was announced that Wallace, 60, would step away from his role on the BBC cooking show and all its spin-offs while historical allegations of misconduct were investigated.
No information about the suit, which has been filed at the High Court in London, has been made public as yet, although The Sun reports that Wallace is requesting the release of over 200 internal documents which he believes could exonerate him. It also cited a source who claimed that Wallace may pursue a disability discrimination claim and argue that the BBC failed to properly accommodate his autism.
“We have not been formally notified of any legal proceedings so at this stage we are unable to comment,” a BBC spokesperson told BBC News, which is editorially independent from the main corporation.
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Wallace’s MasterChef sacking came after an independent report carried out by independent law firm Lewis Silkin, and commissioned by series producer Banijay UK, the parent of both Manchester indie Workerbee and Glasgow non-fiction specialist IWC Media, substantiated 45 allegations against him, including claims of inappropriate sexual language and one incident of unwelcome physical contact.
The report concluded that the number of sustained allegations made Wallace’s return to MasterChef “untenable.”
Wallace has apologised for distress caused by his actions, and noted that the report into his misconduct cleared him of “the most serious and sensational accusations.”
His co-host John Torode was also the subject of an allegation about using racist language that was upheld as part of the Lewis Silkin review, but the TV star said he had “no recollection of the incident” and was “shocked and saddened” by the allegation.
The previously recorded final series featuring Wallace has controversially now been broadcast by the BBC, although some contestants, including Sarah Shafi requested to be edited out, seemingly along with several jokes and much of the “banter” between Wallace and Torode, according to many fans of the show.
Bectu boss Philippa Childs was among those who urged the BBC to “reconsider its decision” about broadcasting Wallace’s last series of MasterChef.
The BBC has confirmed that Grace Dent and Anna Haugh will be replacing Wallace and Torode on the flagship version of MasterChef, while chef Matt Tebbutt was announced as Wallace’s replacement on the next series of MasterChef: The Professionals, along with long-term hosts Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing.
