Gregg Wallace allegations 'tip of the iceberg', former MasterChef contestant claims

Allegations against Gregg Wallace are just the "tip of the iceberg", a former MasterChef contestant has told Sky News - claiming he witnessed a "toxic environment" and was so "horrified" he considered quitting the show on his first day.

He alleged the "abuse" of contestants was widespread through the "production team", but was too scared to speak out after signing a non-disclosure agreement.

The contestant, who did not wish to be identified, told Sky's arts and entertainment correspondent Katie Spencer: "I was horrified. I'd never seen anything like it, genuinely, I was really quite shocked at that really toxic environment.

"What I witnessed... as a contestant was that there was a systemic problem that was larger than just him, in my view.

"Gregg... would occasionally crack jokes that in different ways felt inappropriate but he wasn't the only one."

Wallace has stepped back from presenting the BBC cooking show MasterChef after accusations he made sexual comments towards staff and celebrity guests on a range of programmes over 17 years.

Broadcaster Kirsty Wark is among 13 people who have made claims, with Wallace being investigated by MasterChef's production company Banijay UK.

Aaqil Ahmed former head of the BBC's religion and ethics department said he did not think Wallace had understood the "magnitude" of the claims.

He told Sky News' Jonathan Samuels the presenter's defiant Instagram statement on Saturday - in which he dismissed his accusers as "middle-class women of a certain age" - showed "a lack of judgment".

Ulrika Jonsson, 57, who appeared on Celebrity MasterChef in 2017, also said she was "seething" about Wallace's comments.

The television presenter told The Telegraph: "My first reaction was just, 'Keep digging, Gregg. Keep digging' because this shows the arrogance of a man who has zero introspection or self-awareness."

Author and actor Emma Kennedy, who won Celebrity MasterChef in 2012, said she believes she saw Wallace touch the bottom of a young woman who was working as a photographer's assistant.

"As she was bending over, Gregg in front of me went and put his hands over her buttocks and then turned to me and went, 'Cor', and then was laughing as if this was a great joke," she told Ayesha Hazarika on Times Radio.

Kennedy said she didn't think he was "a sexual predator" but confronted him over his "completely inappropriate" behaviour, although "it sort of went in one ear and out the other".

She said she reported the incident to an assistant producer, a producer and the head of PR at MasterChef at the time but didn't get a formal response.

Staff were 'well used to' behaviour

Kennedy said she "got the sense that this was something that they were well used to," but in a pub months later the head of PR was talking about "when is the Gregg Wallace problem going to come to light?"

The former contestant who spoke to Sky News said he was "not for one second wanting to let Gregg Wallace off the hook, but I don't think it's just him".

"My concern is that he's being totally scapegoated for a culture that... was more often than not about mocking. It was offensive."

He said: "You know, I think it's good that these things are coming out and I'm glad that people are speaking up, it's brilliant. But I do think it's the tip of the iceberg. I think if you were to really unravel and look at what was going on in that culture at large you'd see a lot more, you know, abuse."

MasterChef contestant wanted to quit

The contestant was so shocked by what he saw on the first day of filming, he said he wanted to leave.

"I don't know why I didn't actually. But I think it was partly because I was just too embarrassed. I didn't want to be humiliated," he said.

"I felt the only way I'm going to go is just to cook something awful and be thrown off the show. And I suppose my own pride got the better of me. And I thought, no, I didn't want to cook something awful. So I kept going."

In terms of the language he claimed he witnessed, he said Wallace was "the least offensive".

"I mean, there was effings and c**** and twats and all sorts and that that was the kind of language you kind of got used to, particularly from some of the camera crew, but also a couple of the producers too. He was the least sweary person," he said.

"I think I got off pretty lightly, but I'd see the other contestants and just [be] thinking I would have been very upset if that person had that said that to me."

When asked by Katie Spencer if the camera crew and directors were involved, he replied: "Producers as well... it wasn't everybody, of course, and some people I thought were incredibly respectful and very professional. So it certainly wasn't everyone, but there was certainly people from all levels of the organisation.

"It was all men... I don't think I ever witnessed any of the women taking part in it. I think there was a kind of disconnection within the team at large... between some of the men and the women."

'Slightly terrified' talking about show

"I remember thinking, do I say something here or will that mean I'm going to be thrown off? And there were a couple of times where I thought I am just going to walk off now. And then I thought, what does that really mean? You know, what if I just walk off, am I going to be thrown off?" he said.

"The contract we signed, the nondisclosure contracts and the wording was, you're not supposed to talk at all about anything that goes on... you're slightly terrified. I mean I remember not saying a thing about some things at the time. Just thinking could I just be dragged into court."

Now, when anyone brings up the show, he said he will try to change the subject.

"I haven't talked about it for a long time," he said.

"I really wouldn't be seen dead watching that programme anymore... I've seen too much behind the scenes."

He added: "I remember thinking, 'gosh do the BBC really know what's going on? Is this okay? Is this how TV works? Is this how, you know, the BBC operates?' I had all those questions at the time."

Read more:
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Sky News has contacted Banijay and Wallace's agent for comment about the latest allegations.

A BBC source said: "While we are not going to comment on individuals or any internal HR processes, particularly when there is an ongoing process in place being run by Banijay who have the direct contractual relationship with Gregg Wallace, it would be wrong to report the BBC has done nothing if or when matters have been raised with us - not least because it is already being widely reported there were interventions in both 2017 and 2018 where action was taken.

"We continue to urge caution about pre-judging any of this, particularly the involvement of BBC staff members and any inference they have not acted appropriately."

Wallace 'fully co-operating' with review

Banijay UK previously said the complaints were made to the BBC this week by "individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with Gregg Wallace on one of our shows".

The company said the 60-year-old, who has been a co-presenter and judge of the popular cooking show since 2005, was "committed to fully co-operating throughout the process".

"Whilst these complainants have not raised the allegations directly with our show producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel that it is appropriate to conduct an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate," the company said.

"While this review is under way, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully co-operating throughout the process.

"Banijay UK's duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions, with multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously, clearly promoted on set.

"Whilst these are historical allegations, incidences brought to our attention where these expectations are not met, are thoroughly investigated and addressed appropriately."

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