Gregg Wallace has acknowledged a supporter who commended his decision to take legal action against the BBC for terminating his role on MasterChef. The ousted MasterChef host has initiated legal proceedings against the BBC, submitting a lawsuit with the High Court that includes a data protection claim against the BBC.
This move follows his dismissal from MasterChef following an investigation that upheld 40 allegations of misconduct against him. Wallace, a 60-year-old greengrocer who co-hosted the show with John Torode for 21 years, was let go due to inappropriate behavior.
An inquiry by production company Banijay UK into Wallace’s conduct on MasterChef revealed that 45 out of 83 allegations against him were found to be valid. These complaints primarily involved sexual language and humor, with a few instances of inappropriate exposure and unwanted physical contact.
While Wallace admitted that his on-air humor was inappropriate, he dismissed the allegations as unfounded and sensationalized. He expressed his determination not to be silenced or disregarded in a social media post.
Wallace is reportedly seeking the disclosure of confidential documents to vindicate himself. The BBC has stated that they have not been officially informed of any legal action yet and cannot provide a comment.
In response to a fan’s supportive message on Instagram, Wallace thanked the individual for their encouragement and described their words as powerful and courageous.
Meanwhile, Tim Davie, the BBC director general, defended the decision to air the current season of MasterChef featuring Wallace and Torode. He emphasized that the majority of the participating chefs supported the show’s broadcast despite the controversy surrounding the presenters.
The Mirror has reached out to a BBC spokesperson for a response to this development.