Gregg Wallace has broken his silence once again, addressing the long-running allegations that led to his departure from MasterChef.
In a detailed Substack post on Tuesday, the 61-year-old presenter insisted that the 45 complaints upheld against him over the years amounted to a “pile on” rather than evidence of sustained misconduct spanning his two-decade career.
He emphasised that only two complaints were ever formally raised while he was actively working on the show.
According to him, the remaining 43 emerged only after “sensationalised” reports surfaced in late 2024, creating a wave of retroactive grievances that he argues were unfairly amplified.
The Investigation Under Scrutiny
Wallace described the investigation as “not a legal one,” likening it instead to an internal HR process where the standard of proof would not withstand a court challenge.
He claimed that an “open invitation” was extended to anyone who had interacted with him to share grievances, long after his reputation had already been “dragged through the mud.”
He pointed out that during his nearly 20-year run co-hosting with John Torode, he had worked with tens of thousands of people—from contestants and rotating film crews to charity attendees—making it inevitable that some might misremember or exaggerate interactions.
“Do you think you would survive without any complaints being made against you?” he asked his readers.
Breaking Down the Complaints
Wallace maintained that nearly all of the upheld complaints dated from before 2018, when he received a formal warning about his language.
The lone post-2018 complaint reportedly involved a question he asked a Celebrity MasterChef contestant about eating habits, which he argued was misinterpreted by an onlooker rather than the person directly involved.
He also described the “most serious allegations” as one instance of touching at a party 17 years ago, which he insists was consensual, and three instances of being in a state of undress, which the investigation itself confirmed were non-sexually motivated.
Wallace urged readers to compare these findings with the media coverage, claiming that “many, many examples” of published stories about him were ultimately found to be untrue.
Past Apologies and Controversial Comments
This latest defence follows a Substack post two weeks ago, in which Wallace apologised for a remark dismissing accusers as “middle-class women of a certain age,” calling it “stupid, defensive and arrogant.”
Previously, he had sought to justify his use of sexual innuendo and crude humour by comparing it to the banter on The Great British Bake Off, claiming he was “part of a noisy, energetic and sometimes crude ensemble” rather than a lone perpetrator in a silent office.
The official investigation recorded 83 complaints in total, with 45 upheld.
They included inappropriate sexual language, culturally insensitive or racist remarks, one instance of unwelcome physical contact, and three occasions of being in a state of undress.
The BBC apologised to those affected, acknowledging that “opportunities were missed to address” Wallace’s behaviour sooner and admitting that it “falls below the values of the BBC.”
Public Response and Career Moves
Despite Wallace’s attempts to defend himself, criticism has been swift.
Many commentators note that dozens of people felt uncomfortable enough to make formal complaints once given the chance.
In the aftermath, Wallace has focused on rebuilding his career, launching a personal training venture on Instagram and sharing recipes across social media platforms.
His former co-host, John Torode, also stepped down from the show in July 2025 after an allegation surfaced of using an “extremely offensive racist term” in 2018—a claim he denies and says he only learned about through media reports, not directly from the BBC or Banijay.
What Happens Next
For now, Wallace’s defence adds another chapter to a scandal that has continued to generate headlines long after his exit from MasterChef.
Whether his attempts to reclaim his reputation will resonate with the public—or be drowned out by past complaints—remains to be seen.
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