MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace has been scolded for his “grotesque and insulting” response to sexual harassment allegations made against him.
Speaking to GB News, media commentator Paul Connew criticised Wallace’s recent Instagram video, where he dismissed his accusers as “middle-class women of a certain age”.
“When you’re in a hole, stop digging. In fact, Gregg Wallace doesn’t seem to have ever heard that old saying,” Connew said.
The media expert warned that Wallace’s latest video response was “only digging his grave for any future in television”.
Gregg Wallace has stepped away from MasterChef while the investigation by Banijay UK takes place
BBC / Shine TV
The 60-year-old presenter faces allegations from 13 people who claim he made inappropriate sexual comments across several shows over a 17-year period.
In his latest defence against the allegations, Wallace shared a fresh rant on social media, claiming the accusations were coming from “a handful of middle class women of a certain age”.
He added: “Apparently now, I’m reading in the paper, there’s been 13 complaints in that time. Can you imagine how many women, female contestants, on MasterChef have made sexual remarks or sexual innuendo?”
Connew revealed that previous complaints about Wallace had been made to the BBC, including one from Aasmah Mir in 2017.
Gregg Wallace has called his accusers ‘middle class women of a certain age’ in a furious rant on Instagram
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He said there was “an exchange of emails” with BBC executive Kate Phillips, who acknowledged the complaints and said Wallace would be spoken to.
In 2022, senior producer Dawn Elrick addressed further complaints, acting on behalf of multiple women.
“Too often individuals, junior staff, freelancers, are too afraid, too intimidated to actually officially complain,” Connew explained.
The media commentator added that the BBC’s attempt to defer to the independent production company for investigation “isn’t good enough”.
Connew stated: “I’m a supporter of the BBC as well as a critic, but the idea they were oblivious to this just doesn’t wash. And the BBC have tried very much to put the ball into the court of the independent production company to investigate this. But that isn’t good enough either.”
Paul Connew told GB News that the ‘idea the BBC didn’t know doesn’t wash’
GB News
Connew also warned that the controversy surrounding Wallace is likely to escalate further.
“I suspect that this one will carry on escalating. I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t end up with a parliamentary investigation by the Culture and Media Select Committee,” he said.
He pointed to mounting evidence that allegations were made on multiple occasions.
“We now have clear evidence that allegations were made on a number of occasions, and somehow they weren’t really acted upon,” Connew added.
MasterChef production company Banijay UK has “committed to fully co-operating throughout the process” and called on anyone who has a complaint against Wallace to come forward.
They advise anyone with an issue to speak to legal firm Lewis Silkin, who are heading up the investigation.
A spokesperson assured: “All information will be handled sensitively, and names of those providing evidence to the team will be kept confidential.”
