Penny Lancaster has broken her silence on with MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace after her husband Rod Stewart slammed the host, following his exit from the BBC show amid a series of misconduct claims.
Earlier this month, Rod issued a furious rant at the Masterchef presenter, calling him a ‘tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully’ for ‘humiliating’ his wife when she appeared on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021.
Gregg, 60, stepped away from MasterChef after 13 people, including Newsnight host Kirsty Wark, accused him of ‘wrong’ and inappropriate ‘sexualised’ behaviour during filming.
And appearing on Loose Women on Thursday, Penny addressed the claims for the first time, saying she had been a ‘victim and witness’ to Gregg’s bullying.
She said: ‘I most definitely was witness and victim to some of the bullying and harassment behaviour of Greg Wallace. And unfortunately a lot of those in the production team were also witness to that.’
She went on: ‘I really feel that he used his position of power to I believe intimidate and cause distress to a lot of people on set.
Penny Lancaster has broken her silence on with MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace after her husband Rod Stewart slammed the host, following his exit from the BBC show amid a series of misconduct claims
Earlier this month, Rod issued a furious rant at the Masterchef presenter, calling him a ‘tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully’ for ‘humiliating’ his wife when she appeared on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021 (pictured on show)
‘And it’s really unfortunate that someone like him is allowed to get away with that while other stands by and let it happen at the same time. And it’s obvious that a lot of people have come forward.’
Explaining the decision behind Rod’s angry post, she added: ‘My husband when he heard people talking about the disturbing behaviors, he couldn’t hold back.
‘Protective husband thought, “I’m not going to stay silent I need to say something,” because he realised how upset I was at the time.’
She added that she hadn’t known about her husband’s Instagram rant until afterwards, saying: ‘I was actually on jury service and you have to turn your phones off completely so I was off grid for a period of time.
‘And when I did turn my phone back on I got a message from a friend saying, “Oh my god, how amazing was that message your husband put out!” And I was like “What message? What has he done?”‘
Penny then admitted: ‘I was in shock and then I thought of all the repercussions of all that. Then a day or two afterwards I felt a little bit vindicated that something was put out there.’
Penny was left in tears during her appearance on the show after Gregg told her off with the ‘serious’ delay of her food and then refused to eat her food.
The moment when Gregg refused to eat Penny’s tartar sauce – blasting her for using ‘whole eggs instead of egg yolks’ – re-emerged after her husband Rod branded him a ‘tubby bully’.
Gregg also chastised Penny – who is a volunteer special police constable – for being late serving her food to critics in the quarter finals, leaving her in tears.
The BBC has since revealed that 13 people, including Kirsty Wark , have complained about his conduct while working with him over a 17-year period across five shows, from 2005 to 2022.
Following Gregg’s departure, Rod Stewart released a statement to Instagram branding him a ‘tubby bully’
Gregg, stepped away from MasterChef amid accusations of ‘sexualised’ behaviour during filming of the hit BBC show.
Following the announcement, Sir Rod wrote: ‘Good riddance Wallace… You humiliated my wife when she was on the show, but you had that bit cut out didn’t you? You’re a tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully. Karma got ya’.
The BBC has revealed 13 people, including Kirsty Wark, have complained about his conduct while working with him over a 17-year period across five shows, from 2005 to 2022.
Kirsty alleges Gregg told stories and jokes of a ‘sexualised nature’ in front of contestants and crew while filming Celebrity MasterChef in 2011 on two occasions and added his gags and comments were ‘really, really in the wrong place’.
‘There were two occasions in particular where he used sexualised language in front of a number of people and it wasn’t as if anyone engaged with this. It was completely one-way traffic. But I think people were uncomfortable and something that I really did not expect to happen’, she said.
The BBC and MasterChef’s production company, Banijay, declined to comment.
In a resurfaced clip from Penny’s time on the show, the former model was humiliated when her fried calamari and homemade tartar sauce went awry, with the judges refusing to taste what was brandied a ‘raw egg/oil milkshake’.
When initially tasked with making her own tartar sauce the former Loose Woman star seemed to believe she was getting off to a promising start, beaming with confidence. She quipped to the camera: ‘I’m doing surprisingly well compared to what I imagined how I’d be doing. I don’t want to slip up now.’
But she spoke too soon as her sauce quickly went wrong as John delivered the devastating blow of declaring the sauce inedible.
Fans of the show will remember Penny, 53, leaving Celebrity MasterChef in tears in 2021, after Gregg, 60, told her off with the ‘serious’ delay of her food and then refused to eat her food
As chaos filled the kitchen during her stint on the show, Gregg told Penny: ‘Mate, we can’t be 10 minutes late,’ calling her delay ‘serious’
Fellow judge John Torode branded it a ‘raw egg/oil milkshake’ as Wallace informed her she had used whole eggs instead of egg yolks
When she served, Penny said: ‘That tartar sauce doesn’t look like the tartar sauce I’d normally have’, as Gregg informed her: ‘You used whole eggs instead of egg yolks’.
‘What I’ve got in here is a raw egg/oil milkshake. Unfortunately, I can’t eat that,’ co-judge John Torode added.
However all wasn’t lost for Penny as she received compliments on her calamari from the duo and later wowed the hosts with her chicken and coconut curry, green papaya chutney, grated apple, turnip and carrot salad as well as the coconut rice.
Gregg showered her with praise at the time branding her ‘a stand out cook’, adding: ‘I found myself going from bowl to bowl to bowl and finding it difficult to stop, you have had what we call in the industry and very good day.’
However another clip showed a tense moment between Penny and Gregg as chaos ensued in the kitchen.
In the episode where the model was later eliminated, Gregg told Penny: ‘Mate, we can’t be 10 minutes late,’ calling her delay ‘serious’.
Penny admitted she was so emotional: ‘Everything piled on top of me. I just hope the wait was worth it,’ she said.
But unfortunately she was knocked out of the show.
Post-results, a choked Penny said: ‘It would’ve been incredible to get through to the semi finals but it wasn’t meant to be. Absolutely no regrets whatsoever. I’ve always loved to eat food, never loved to cook – and now I love both.’
Rod and wife Penny pictured together in 2019
Penny is a volunteer special police constable
BBC News said it had been told of other allegations, including the presenter ‘talking openly about his sex life among others
Following Penny’s eviction from the kitchen in 2021, she shared a cryptic post on Instagram hinting at ‘a person’s behaviour’.
She wrote on Instagram: ‘When you finally learn that a person’s behaviour has more to do with their own struggle than it ever did with you, you learn grace’.
On Thursday, Scottish broadcaster Aasmah Mir shared a picture of herself during the 2017 Celebrity MasterChef series – also with a cryptic message.
It read: ‘Always keep your receipts’. It is not yet known if she has also complained.
The BBC claims Gregg walked away from MasterChef after BBC News sent a letter to his agent on Tuesday, setting out allegations from 13 people and giving him a right of reply.
They say he was warned after a complaint was raised in 2018, but new historical claims emerged over the summer of 2024.
Gregg is ‘committed to fully cooperating throughout the process’, the show’s production company Banijay UK said.
Gregg will be on BBC One as usual on Thursday night because MasterChef: The Professionals, which is already recorded, will transmit as planned and into December. MasterChef’s Christmas specials will also still be broadcast.
The chef has since thanked people for their support following accusations he mimicked a sex act and wandered into the MasterChef studio ‘completely naked’ apart from a ‘sock covering his penis’.
Gregg is accused mimicking a sex act in front of a member of the show’s production staff who was kneeling down to clean his trousers during filming, according to the lurid and so-far unsubstantiated allegations.
The grocer turned presenter is also accused of making ‘disgusting sex-related jokes’, including one about an ‘aunt’ while tasting a contestant’s dish during the show.
In a video posted on Instagram on Wednesday, he said: ‘I would like to thank all the people getting in touch, reach out and showing their support.
‘That’s good of you, thank you very much.’
The Daily Telegraph says it has spoken to a witness who claims to have seen both these alleged incidents. Gregg was also ‘very touchy feely’, the newspaper quotes the witness as saying.
MailOnline has asked Gregg to comment on the claims, which if proven would likely end the BBC career of one its biggest names in yet another sex-related crisis to grip the corporation.
Greg was at home in Kent on Thursday as it emerged he was under investigation
The BBC has revealed 13 people, including Kirsty Wark (pictured in 2011), have complained about his conduct while working with him over a 17-year period across five shows
Gregg, pictured with wife Anne-Marie Sterpini in October, has stepped away from MasterChef while he is investigated
In October, Gregg denied claims he boasted about his sex life to a younger female BBC employee and took his top off in front of her while filming a game show
John Torode failed to address his MasterChef co-host Gregg’s exit from the show as she brushed off his announcement by posting a sweaty selfie
Hours after the news broke that Gregg was stepping down from his position on the show, the TV presenter, 59, posted to his Instagram Stories on Thursday
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 a statement to the PA news agency 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.
‘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 under way, 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.’
In October, Gregg admitted he was feeling stressed amid allegations he made inappropriate sexual comments towards women – and his fellow judge John Torode’s wife Lisa Faulkner alleged he ‘repeatedly told rude jokes’ on set.
Lisa, 52, appeared on the series in 2010 where she went on to win the Celebrity MasterChef trophy – and opened up about her time on the show.
Brookside and Holby City star Lisa told the Cheltenham Literature Festival how she would overhear the former greengrocer’s jokes as she was prepping her dishes.
She said: ‘Gregg was telling – I’m probably not allowed to say this…Gregg just told rude joke after rude joke to the crew.
‘You’re just sitting there and if you’re on the front bench just chopping away thinking, ‘I’ve got ten minutes left’, and he’s saying, ‘So this girl walked into a bar…’
‘And I’m going, ‘Please, I don’t want to hear this joke’.’
Her husband John, 59, who was also on stage with her to promote their new book, told her: ‘It’s changed quite a lot really…’
MasterChef co-presenter Gregg Wallace filmed a live video message admitting he was feeling some ‘stress’ as newly-emerged allegations were made against him in October
Actress Lisa Faulkner (centre) said Gregg (left) repeatedly made rude jokes to MasterChef crew members – she is married to his co-host John (right)
Gregg has said in another Instagram video message that he has always been true to his wife Anne-Marie Sterpini – the couple are pictured in October 2019
Lisa said Gregg would tell ‘rude joke after rude joke’ on MasterChef
John Torode failed to address his MasterChef co-host Gregg Wallace ‘s exit from the show as she brushed off his announcement by posting a sweaty selfie.
Hours after the news broke that Gregg was stepping down from his position on the show, the TV presenter, 59, posted to his Instagram Stories on Thursday.
But rather than sharing a statement about Gregg’s exit, Torode instead posted a picture after a spin class at his local David Lloyd club.
Torode, who was wearing a white T-shirt and with a grey towel thrown over his shoulder, smiled for the camera as he posed just moments after the gym session.
He wrote: ‘Another bloody great class… thank you!’
It was previously reported by The Times back in May last year that he had allegedly offended female staff members at the Nestlé UK factory in York with comments about their weight during a ‘friendly’ conversation.
Wallace then denied that he left the BBC show Inside The Factory in March that year due to inappropriate comments made towards female staff.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain in August 2023, he called the claims ‘inaccurate’.
The newspaper had quoted a source as saying: ‘He was rude towards staff and continued to talk in a derogatory manner, especially to women.’
The comments were reportedly non-sexual but deemed ‘inappropriate’ and a complaint was lodged with Voltage TV, the production company responsible for developing the show.
Gregg quit BBC show Inside The Factory in March last year after allegations that he had been ‘rude towards staff’ and spoke to them in a ‘derogatory manner, especially to women’
Gregg was accompanied by his wife Anne-Marie Sterpini when he received an MBE honour for services to food and charity, at Windsor Castle in February 2022
When asked on GMB by Richard Madeley about his departure from the programme, Wallace responded by saying: ‘There was an argument inside the factory, the reporting isn’t accurate.
‘There was an issue and I thought this is the perfect time to come out.’
‘Offending people? No, no – if you look at the headlines, you can’t see a story that matches those headlines.’
Gregg also revealed that he also wanted to leave to help care for his son Sid, born in 2019, who is autistic.
Explaining his home situation, he said: ‘I’ve got a little boy called Sid who at the moment is non-verbal, he is still in nappies, he’s got learning difficulties. Mum needed help there.’
Following Penny’s eviction from the kitchen in 2021, she shared a cryptic post on Instagram hinting at ‘a person’s behaviour’
He revealed the demanding nature of the filming around the different factories across the country meant it made sense to give it up.
Gregg added: ‘It’s completely inaccurate, I didn’t challenge it. There was an issue, I don’t want to discuss the issue but it wasn’t what the papers said it was.
‘There was nothing offensive to anybody that’s just people guessing. It was a decent time to come out, I think.’
Gregg wed Anne-Marie Sterpini, 22 years younger than him, at Hever Castle in Kent in August 2016, having met three years earlier.
In October Gregg vehemently denied that he had made inappropriate sexual comments towards women, declaring that he would never ‘flirt with’ or ‘hit on’ another woman and saying: ‘I didn’t say anything sexual’.
