MasterChef’s production company have issued a statement announcing Gregg Wallace will be stepping back from the show.
The decision was made after an investigation was launched into historical allegations of misconduct including alleged inappropriate sexual comments.
Already recorded episodes of MasterChef: The Professionals, which is currently on BBC One and featuring Gregg, will transmit as planned into December.
While Gregg, 60, is yet to comment, the production company Banijay, who are behind the show, released a statement on Thursday.
Read their statement in full:
Banijay UK said: ‘This week the BBC received complaints from individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with presenter Gregg Wallace on one of our shows.
MasterChef’s production company have issued a statement announcing Gregg Wallace will be stepping back from the show
‘Whilst these complainants have not raised the allegations directly with our show producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel that it is appropriate to conduct an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate.
‘While this review is underway, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully cooperating throughout the process.
‘Banijay UK’s duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions, with multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously, clearly promoted on set.
‘Whilst these are historical allegations, incidences brought to our attention where these expectations are not met, are thoroughly investigated and addressed appropriately.’
The statement added: ‘If anyone would like to talk to us or raise any issues or concerns, then they can contact speakup@banijayuk.com in confidence.’
The BBC has said it takes any issues that are raised with it ‘seriously’.
A BBC spokesperson said: ‘We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them.
‘We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.
‘Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them.’
Already recorded episodes of MasterChef: The Professionals, which is currently on BBC One and featuring Gregg, will transmit as planned into December (pictured with John Torode)
Gregg with his wife Anne-Marie Sterpini – the couple are pictured here at the wedding of Lisa Faulkner and John Torode in Banbury, Oxfordshire, in October 2019
Banijay has not revealed the nature of the allegations, but last month it was claimed the grocer turned TV star had boasted about his sex life to a younger female BBC employee and took his top off in front of her.
In October, Gregg vehemently denied he had made inappropriate sexual comments towards women, declaring he would never ‘flirt with’ or ‘hit on’ another woman and: ‘I didn’t say anything sexual’.
That same month, the presenter admitted he was feeling stressed amid allegations he made inappropriate sexual comments towards women.
The chef took to Instagram with a live video as he offered tips on healthy eating while also alluding to new allegations made against him this week.
He told viewers he was ‘a little bit distracted at the moment’, but said he ‘wanted to check in and say hello’.
Gregg has been co-presenter and judge of the BBC cooking show MasterChef, with John since 2005.
The MasterChef judge married his fourth wife Anne-Marie Sterpini, 37, who he calls Anna, at Hever Castle in Kent in 2016.
