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BBC/Shine TVGregg Wallace has defended himself towards allegations about him, insisting “they’re not all true”.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Wallace – who stepped clear of presenting MasterChef closing November within the wake of the claims towards him – mentioned he felt “under attack” and that he had pondered suicide.
A BBC News investigation published allegations of beside the point sexual feedback through 13 individuals who had labored with Wallace throughout a variety of displays, over a 17-year-period.
Since then, additional claims of “groping” and “touching” have emerged, all of which Wallace has strenuously denied.
MasterChef’s manufacturing corporate, Banijay, has introduced an inquiry into the ancient allegations.
In his first interview for the reason that claims emerged, Wallace mentioned that he had gained “a tidal wave of abuse” on social media after posting a video on Instagram hitting out at his accusers.
In the video, which he therefore apologised for, he mentioned the claims towards him had come from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”.
“News channels were updating hourly with new allegations,” he mentioned.
“You’re watching yourself get personally ripped apart, criticised, accused of all sorts of stuff over and over again. You’re thinking, “This is not true. It is not true. What’s coming subsequent?”
Wallace said he couldn’t sleep at the time, adding: “The feeling of being beneath assault, of isolation, of abandonment used to be overwhelming. Nobody from the BBC contacted me as soon as those tales began breaking – completely no person in any respect.”
The BBC and Banijay declined to comment.
Wallace said that at the time, his mother called him to ask why people were “selecting on him”.
He mentioned he spoke back: “I’ve mentioned one thing in point of fact silly. They’re investigating my behaviour, however an increasing number of individuals are coming ahead with proceedings about me. Mum, they are no longer all true. I have never finished this stuff.”
Wallace revealed that his mother recently died, adding that it was “extraordinarily unhappy” that she had spent the last few days of her life reading “terrible issues” about him.
One of the women who spoke to BBC News as part of its investigation was broadcaster Kirsty Wark who appeared on Celebrity MasterChef.
Wark accused Wallace of telling “sexualised jokes” during the filming of the show, and said that it left people feeling “uncomfortable”.
But Wallace says he was never aware he had offended her until it came to light last year, saying: “I believed we were given on.”
Other high-profile media personalities, including Vanessa Feltz and Kirstie Allsopp, also spoke up at the time.
Wallace said that Feltz’s complaint “knocked him for 6”, and also pushed back against Allsopp’s comments about his language, saying: “I don’t have mentioned that.”
‘Absolutely no longer true’
Writing on Instagram in November, singer Sir Rod Stewart described Wallace as an “ill-mannered bully”, and said the presenter “humiliated” his wife Penny Lancaster when she was on Masterchef in 2021.
Addressing that claim, Wallace said it was a “disgrace” as he liked Sir Rod. He acknowledged there had been a “falling out” between himself and Lancaster, but said it was over “whether or not an orchid will have to keep on a bowl of soup or no longer”.
He also addressed other allegations that emerged towards the end of last year, including one that he’d walked around on set naked with a sock on his penis.
He admitted to putting a “sock over my personal bits” and opening his dressing room door shouting “hooray”, but claimed he did this to three friends who were in the studio after filming had finished, rather than while it was taking place.
He admitted that some of the inappropriate jokes were “almost definitely true”, saying: “Some of what is been mentioned seems like any such feedback I’d have made.”
But he insisted he never groped any workers, calling those claims “completely no longer true”.
He also said that many of those who work with him had been supportive, including John Torode, his co-presenter on MasterChef.
Torode has not responded to a request for comment.
When Banijay launched an inquiry, Wallace said his “international tumbled in”.
“It’s very tricky to give an explanation for the power except you have been thru it. I thought of suicide always: “Is my insurance up to date? Will [Wallace’s wife] Anna get some money? She doesn’t deserve this. It would be better if I wasn’t here.”
He informed the newspaper Banijay had organized for a disaster mentor to make stronger him.
Wallace mentioned he used to be not too long ago identified with autism, announcing: “I want to make it absolutely clear I’m not blaming my behaviour on my diagnosis, but it does explain a hell of a lot to me.”
He added that he accepts he used to be “very slow to wake up” to a converting paintings setting.
“It wasn’t until seven years ago that I had a massive wake-up call and realised the loud, energetic greengrocer persona I was on the telly was, maybe, becoming redundant. So I changed.”
“I honestly never meant to upset anyone. I thought I was going in every day and just delivering what was wanted. I didn’t realise I was causing any problems.”
BBC/Shine TVWallace has been certainly one of Britain’s maximum prime profile presenters for greater than twenty years.
BBC News, which is editorially unbiased from the broader organisation, began investigating Wallace closing summer season, after turning into acutely aware of allegations. The claims have been made throughout 5 displays, from 2005 to 2022.
Most of the allegations got here from manufacturing employees. Many have been younger feminine freelancers.
Allegations heard come with Wallace speaking brazenly about his intercourse existence, taking his best off in entrance of a feminine employee announcing he sought after to “give her a fashion show”, and telling a junior feminine colleague he wasn’t dressed in any boxer shorts beneath his denims.
BBC News has additionally heard from a former MasterChef employee who says he confirmed her topless photos of himself and requested for massages, and a former employee on Channel 5’s Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekends, who says he used to be interested by the truth she dated ladies and requested for the logistics of the way it labored.
Another feminine employee on MasterChef in 2019 says Wallace mentioned his intercourse existence; a feminine employee at the BBC Good Food Show in 2010 says Wallace stared at her chest; and a male employee on MasterChef in 2005-06 says Wallace continuously mentioned sexually particular issues on set.
After BBC News’s preliminary investigation, extra ladies got here ahead with claims.
One girl says he touched her backside at an tournament and every other says he pressed his crotch towards her whilst filming on a distinct display.
His legal professionals have strongly denied he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.
Wallace has time and again declined interview requests from BBC News.
If you’ve got been suffering from any of the problems raised on this tale, data and make stronger may also be discovered on the BBC’s Action Line.
