MasterChef specials and Inside the Factory episodes removed after Gregg Wallace allegations

The fallout from Gregg Wallace’s allegations continues to rock the UK showbiz circuit. Celebrity Christmas specials MasterChef and Inside the Factory, removed from the BBC schedule, are the latest developments following the allegations.

This follows Melanie Sykes saying she left TV after Celebrity MasterChef.

Wallace – best known for hosting MasterChef, MasterChef: The Professionals and Celebrity MasterChef – apologized on Monday for his remark about “middle-class women of a certain age” which No10 called “inappropriate and misogynistic”.

The TV presenter, 60, has stepped down from MasterChef as the BBC investigates complaints about inappropriate sexual comments during filming from 13 people over a 17-year period, as reported by BBC News. His lawyers said: “It is completely false that he engaged in sexually harassing behavior.”

Celebrity MasterChef Christmas specials axed

Two Celebrity MasterChef Christmas specials have been removed from the BBC schedule.

A BBC spokesperson said: “As we have said, MasterChef is an incredible competition that changes the lives of the participating chefs and the current series of MasterChef: The Professionals continues as planned.

“Celebrity Christmas specials are obviously a different type of show and in the current circumstances we have decided not to air them.”

Three episodes of BBC Two’s Inside the Factory, which are reruns, are also removed from the BBC’s current schedule.

Melanie Sykes left TV after experience with Gregg Wallace

It comes as Melanie Sykes is the latest celebrity to speak out about Wallace’s alleged behavior on the set of MasterChef. The former presenter said an experience with Wallace led her to abandon her film career.

Sykes – who appeared in the 2021 series of Celebrity MasterChef alongside Penny Lancaster – made an informal complaint about his behavior on the show. Initially, Sykes made the comments in his autobiography Illuminated, published last year, and has now shared more of his thoughts in a video shared on YouTube.

In his book, Illuminated: Autism & All The Things I’ve Left Unsaid, Sykes wrote: “The MasterChef experience continued to be an eye-opener, and some of the unprofessional behavior on set was breathtaking.”

She said Wallace told her Celebrity MasterChef would do a lot for her career, but that couldn’t have been further from her mind. Sykes wrote: “I didn’t know what to say, so I smiled and said yes, but I really thought, ‘Yes, you finally helped me decide to end my television career one day. once and for all.’

Learn more: Melanie Sykes: My experience with Gregg Wallace led me to quit television (The Telegraph, 5 minute read)

Richard Osman apologizes for previously defending Wallace

Following this news, Richard Osman apologized for previously defending Wallace.

Osman said on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast: “If I can start with a Mea culpa, because a while ago we talked about him, because he had this boring day in his life, and I defended it because I think being boring is good.

“Plus, I asked around, and all the shows he’s been on and I’ve been on, everyone had great things to say about him. So I was like, oh no , absolutely, everything is fine. Then you think, my God, you always have to be very careful. I thought, oh, he’s just a big personality, and I hadn’t heard anything.

“But now look, I definitely understand, I’ve heard some stuff. I apologize for that.”

Learn more: Richard Osman apologizes for defending Gregg Wallace (The Telegraph, 2 minute read)

Former MasterChef contestant speaks out

Also speaking, former MasterChef 2011 contestant Jackie Kearney said she decided to share her experience after Wallace’s comment about “middle-class women of a certain age”.

The contestant, who was a guest judge on the show from 2012 to 2017, said she was very “exposed” to Wallace’s behavior on set. She felt “humiliated” after Wallace allegedly made a lewd comment to her.

Speaking on This Morning on Tuesday, she said: “That’s why I decided to speak out because I felt so angry at his criticism of women for speaking out instead of just saying that I am so sorry that the things I said upset and humiliated you.

“The last time I went back in 2017, he said one of the rudest and most upsetting things to me and it was about context. I had just published my second book, I was really proud I brought a few copies, gave one to John, he was a perfect gentleman as always.

“I went to give Gregg one, there was a production team everywhere… I said, ‘Hey Gregg, I have a present for you. I don’t know if I can say that to the antenna…’ said: ‘Oh, is this a present for my asshole?’ I was so shocked, I felt like everyone was looking at me. I wanted to cry but I couldn’t because it would add to the humiliation.

Kearney also spoke about his experience on Sky News.

Learn more: Gregg Wallace comment made me cry with humiliation, says former MasterChef contestant (Sky News, 6 minute read)

Gregg Wallace is ‘incredibly stupid’, says Stephen Fry

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Stephen Fry said Wallace was “incredibly stupid” to post a video over the weekend in which the MasterChef judge claimed the complaints were coming from a “handful of middle-class women of a certain age “. Wallace has now apologized for the remark which sparked a backlash.

Fry told Sky News Breakfast on Tuesday: “It was obviously incredibly stupid of Gregg Wallace to make that video at the weekend. It really showed that he just didn’t understand. Even though he felt that he himself had been misunderstood, he could surely see that there were women there who were really hurt and who didn’t feel listened to, and that he should deal with that first.”

The author and comedian said men on TV need to think about their “jokes”.

He said: “I think if now people who work in television, men who work in television, don’t understand that light jokes can no longer be broadcast in one way or another Unless you think about it seriously, is there some sort of victim or stereotype behind this joke that could be hurtful.”

Learn more: Stephen Fry says men on TV need to think about their ‘jokes’ amid Gregg Wallace row (PA, 5 minute reading)

Should MasterChef be taken off the BBC?

The allegations have sparked a wider discussion over whether the current series of MasterChef: The Professionals should be removed from the BBC. Labor politician Rupa Huq has called for MasterChef to be taken off air because she says the BBC show could be “massively triggering” for the women involved.

On Tuesday, MP Jess Phillips said she was “comfortable” with MasterChef continuing to air amid the investigation.

She told BBC Breakfast: “Gregg Wallace is not the only person on MasterChef, if it was just Gregg Wallace’s show then I could understand you would immediately say, yeah, take it off waves. But it’s a launching pad for a lot of young chefs. It is not up to me to decide what the BBC chooses to broadcast or not.

The 16th episode of MasterChef: The Professionals aired on Monday. There are only 21 episodes in this series; it will also air on Tuesday and Thursday this week.

Italian chef Aldo Zilli has said MasterChef looks “vulnerable” now, but explained why he doesn’t think the show should be axed.

Speaking on This Morning on Tuesday, he said: “It feels very vulnerable. But MasterChef isn’t just about Gregg Wallace, MasterChef is about people’s lives. There are a lot of aspiring chefs on this show who will change their lives forever.

“Taking the antenna down, other than harming a lot of people, isn’t really going to help anything. The most important thing is the hospitality industry, we don’t want to be seen as these horrible, vile people who can treat women in the kitchen. in different ways. I definitely wouldn’t allow this in my kitchen. It’s not about old or new, it’s about respect for the people you work with.