The UK food and drink landscape is being truly transformed! Two of television’s most beloved personalities—both from the popular culinary competition television series MasterChef—are in deep trouble over serious allegations. Chefs John Torode and Gregg Wallace have been co-hosting the program since 2005. Now, Banijay has opened its own investigation into the duo. The investigation uncovered dozens of complaints about both hosts, many detailing abusive attacks and obscene use of racist and misogynistic language.
In November, Torode temporarily relinquished his presenting duties while the investigation continued. The probe investigated 83 claims from 41 different people, confirming one accusation of inappropriate physical contact against Wallace. Most recently, the BBC condemned Wallace’s stance on MasterChef as “untenable”. It is these same Democrats who will refuse to work with him on anything in the future.
Unlike Clark, Torode is being accused of using the n-word at least once. He took to social media to aggressively rebut these assertions. He went on to insist that he has absolutely no recollection of the incident and that it wasn’t intended to be at all malicious.
Investigation Findings
The Banijay inquiry, which examined the behavior of both hosts, found 45 confirmed allegations against Wallace. These results mostly had to do with unneeded sexual jokes and language. Wallace later conceded that some of his humor “fell flat.” He expressed remorse for any pain his behavior might have caused.
Even in the face of such grave allegations, Wallace continued to insist that all of the most damaging charges had not been proven against him. He continued, “The sheer scale of these problems was not known at the time. Both the production companies operating MasterChef and the BBC failed to act in a way that should have eradicated this conduct.
The BBC spokesperson confirmed the broadcaster’s commitment to addressing these issues, stating, “We accept more could and should have been done sooner.” This commitment is part of a larger effort to make certain that all personnel uphold the agency’s stated values and code of conduct.
Responses from John Torode
Due to the allegations against him, celebrity chef and MasterChef judge John Torode posted an Instagram Story. He confessed to having been that person charged with using the n-word. He expressed deep concern over the cloud of confusion around the accusations. “The enquiry could not even state the date or year of when I am meant to have said something wrong,” he remarked.
Torode went on to elaborate on the context of the supposed incident. He disclosed that it allegedly happened in a social setting, sometime in 2018 or early 2019. The person in question said that she did not perceive any harm from the comment. An additional thing he stressed was that he apologized immediately.
Picture this, he said, ‘I have no memory whatsoever of any of this, you know, and there’s no way anything like this occurred,’” Torode defended. His statement reflects a strong dedication to transparency. He intends to continue fighting to clear his name, vindicating himself against what he has called a tragic and deplorable media narrative.
The Future for MasterChef
With both its iconic hosts embroiled in nationwide controversies, the future of MasterChef seems as dark as ever. Shortly after all of this unfolded, the BBC has announced that Torode’s contract will not be renewed. This decisive action is seen as a step in the right direction to change the conversation and reset expectations for what’s considered appropriate behavior from television hosts.
Shortly after the BBC response was released, a BBC spokesperson declared a reset. Doing so will hold everyone—state DOTs and developers—accountable to the values we want to see everywhere. This announcement marks a new dynamic in which workplace behavior will be policed in the entertainment sector going forward.
Wallace went so far as to express his anger at how he’d been treated throughout this process. He continued, “I personally have been deeply troubled by recent press stories. He wrote that he was made to feel “subject to a trial by media.” This just underscores the crazy pressure that public figures face during these kinds of investigations.
The fallout from these allegations is a powerful reminder of how and why accountability is necessary in the television industry. Additionally, Torode and Wallace have done wonders for British culinary television over the decades. What they did in recent weeks may have set them up for career-defining consequences.
