BBC MasterChef star Gregg Wallace has responded to claims he has been investigated for making inappropriate remarks to a colleague at the public service broadcaster.
It was reported last night (13 October) that Wallace, 59, was looked into back in 2018 following reports over his behaviour.
The former greengrocer reportedly took off his shirt and began boasting about intimate encounters he had experienced, all in front of a BBC employee.
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After looking in to the encounter at the time, the BBC is said to have told Wallace to 'change his behaviour'.
Speaking to The Sun, one BBC insider questioned why Wallace was able to remain on MasterChef 'despite the allegations about his conduct'.
A source told The Sun: "Gregg was accused of making inappropriate comments to a younger, female member of the production team.
“He is said to have been boasting about his sex life with his partner at the time. At one point, Gregg was also accused of taking his top off in front of the woman which felt inappropriate. Gregg appeared to think it was all just banter and is also said to have made some comments in front of the live audience.
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“The team working on the show were mortified and told BBC top brass what had happened."
Wallace has been quick to hit back at the reports, rubbishing them of being sexual in any nature. He also reaffirmed his love for his wife in the video, posted to Instagram.
He said: "With reference to what's in the newspapers, these allegations were investigated by the BBC six years ago. And my comments were found to be not sexual.
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"I repeat; not sexual. Thank you for your time."
In a follow-up video, Wallace said: "Something else that I feel very strongly about, strong enough to be on here, nobody six years ago or since has accused me of flirting with anybody or hitting on anybody.
"And that's important to me. And I say this for my wife Anna, who I've been true to and madly in love with since the day I met her.
"I don't want anybody to misunderstand this and make it look like I was flirting with somebody. Nobody accused me of that and I never have."
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Anna - full name Anne-Marie Sterpini - is Wallace's wife, who he tied the knot with back in 2016.
The couple first met on Twitter (now known as X) when she messaged Wallace, querying one of his television recipes. Wallace and Sterpini welcomed their son, Sid, in 2019.
The TV presenter went viral earlier in 2024 after his Saturday routine feature in The Telegraph left readers bemused, with many questioning the entire content of the routine itself.
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A BBC spokesperson said: "While we do not comment on individuals, if issues are raised they are dealt with swiftly and appropriately at the time. We do not tolerate any form of inappropriate behaviour and have robust processes in place."
Topics: BBC, Celebrity, Entertainment, Food And Drink, TV, UK News, Gregg Wallace
Tom Earnshaw