Featured Image Credit: Channel 4
Topics: Celebrity, Food And Drink, TV and Film, Channel 4
Katherine Sidnell
Masterchef’s Gregg Wallace has responded after a major backlash against his latest documentary.
Known for his shows like Inside the Factory, the 58-year-old often lifts the lid on some of Britain's favourite food brands.
However, the culinary expert caused controversy as he visited a factory producing ‘human meat’ for a Channel Four show. Of course, not all was as it seems.
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For those who’ve yet to tuck into the one-off show, please be aware that Gregg Wallace: The British Miracle Meat was a mockumentary.
The knives were out as the show satirised the cost-of-living crisis and rising food prices with the smiling chef exploring the ‘human meat’ industry.
As he toured the ‘factory’, Wallace learnt how burgers, steaks and sausages were made using ‘thin slices of human tissue’ to form a ‘nutrient-rich mix’.
If the concept wasn’t disturbing enough, he also revealed how cheap the animal alternative was with families being fed from as little as 99p.
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As the mockumentary progressed though, it then showed that the ‘meat’ had come from some rather unwilling participants – including ‘milk-raised’ babies - yikes!
Despite the show not being real, not everyone took it with a pinch of salt.
In fact, there has been a major backlash from some viewers with some calling it 'sick'.
However, the Masterchef star has largely ignored those who didn’t find the documentary their cup of tea.
In a statement, he instead cheekily thanked those who tuned in, saying: "Thank you for watching, I really enjoyed my first ever acting job.”
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Meanwhile, others welcomed the deeply satirical Channel 4 show.
Taking to Twitter - or rather X - one user actually asked for more from the broadcaster and praised the mockumentary.
“Last night one of our TV broadcasters snuck in a 30 minute documentary about eating meat from babies as a scathing satire of the cost of living crisis, and it went under the radar completely,” they wrote, adding: “Perfection, we need more of this.”
Another agreed, adding: "Incredible piece of television. Definitely 2 fingers up to the disturbing world we live in. If you were upset by it, then you didn’t get it…"
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Some even gave their compliments to the chef and thanked him for his part in the strange show.
“Absolutely loved this as a piece of comedy! You did really well Greg (almost believable for first 5mins),” the user gushed, adding: “The doctor is hilarious when talking about ‘harvesting’ the meat from the kids & adults.”
The tweet finished: “…the show makes a strong case over government inaction, spiralling energy costs and unsustainable food production. Well done to all involved.”
If you are still thinking of getting your teeth into the mockumentary, you can stream it now on Channel 4.