Gregg Wallace (left) has been under fire for his conduct on the set of MasterChef. Photo / NZME
Gregg Wallace (left) has been under fire for his conduct on the set of MasterChef. Photo / NZME
Gregg Wallace is facing a mounting backlash after claiming allegations made against him of sexually inappropriate conduct came from a “handful of middle-class women of a certain age”.
Wallace, 60, of MasterChef, has been accused by multiple women of inappropriate behaviour, including mimicking a sexual act on a member of staff, after a four-month Telegraph investigation.
The investigation exposed allegations that Wallace had made sexually inappropriate comments on set and left staff feeling uncomfortable by taking his clothes off.
In the wake of the allegations published by the newspaper, the presenter “stepped away” from his role on the cooking programme on Thursday while an investigation into his conduct was launched.
On Sunday morning, Wallace took to Instagram to post a story addressing the allegations directly and claimed they were made by middle-class women of a certain age during his stint on MasterChef.
Ulrika Jonsson, who claimed Wallace was forced to apologise after making a “rape joke” during the filming of an episode of Celebrity MasterChef, said she was outraged by the comments.
The television presenter told The Telegraph: “When he made reference to women of a certain age I was just seething ... I was just absolutely wild.
“My first reaction was just, ‘Keep digging, Gregg. Keep digging’ because this shows the arrogance of a man who has zero introspection or self-awareness.
“When we refer to women ‘of a certain age’, they tend to be women my age, over 50, which is ironic because we are some of the hardiest women out there. When I was starting out, we had to put up with all sorts of sexist, misogynistic comments, and we put up with them.
Gregg Wallace has been accused of misconduct. Photo / Getty Images
“It’s the height of arrogance for him to say, ‘Oh it’s this small bunch, it’s this small cohort of people who are different’. No, Gregg, actually, it’s not about being different. It’s about being respectable and having some ability to not just read the room, but to read the world.”
One of the women who worked with Wallace and spoke to The Telegraph about the presenter’s behaviour said she was “shocked” by his comments.
She added: “His refusal to apologise further indicates his dismissive opinions of women and his arrogance.
“He appears to be of the opinion he is untouchable – as he was on MasterChef, where there was a culture amongst senior producers to ‘ignore’ his actions in a bid to keep ‘talent’ happy!”
Another woman said: “As someone in her early 20s in her first job, I wasn’t sensitive to banter ... I just didn’t want the presenter to shove his crotch in my face whilst I was doing my job.
“It made me feel constantly on edge. I’m unsurprised he doesn’t see these allegations as a big deal though.
“He’s had 20 years of senior producers at Banijay stroking his ego and telling him his behaviour is acceptable.”
His comments have been widely criticised, with actress Emma Kennedy – who won Celebrity MasterChef in 2012 and claims to have complained about Wallace’s behaviour at the time – saying “it doesn’t matter what the age of any woman is”.
She told BBC News: “If you behave inappropriately, you behave inappropriately.
“It’s a story as old as the tides that people who have been accused of inappropriate behaviour turn the tables on those pointing it out and try and change the narrative.”
She added: “Playing the ‘they’re having a go at me because I’m working class’ card is ridiculous.”
Labour’s Diane Abbott said it was “not a crime to be a middle-class woman of a certain age”.
The mother of the House of Commons told BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “Gregg doesn’t get it, the world has moved on. Back in the day, he could harass women and it was about power really.
“Women weren’t in a position to say anything or do anything.
“He just doesn’t understand that the world has moved on.”
Baroness Davidson, former leader of the Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, wrote on X: “I mean, this is going to be taught in future years as a stellar example of how not to do defensive comms. My God.”
Lord Craig Mackinlay, who also appeared on the panel, said Wallace would be “best to shut up” while the investigation continues.
He said: “Is he bawdy, a bit laddish – I think the barrier has moved over the years,” he said.
“And perhaps he has overstretched into lewd behaviour, sexual behaviour, but that is for the investigation to look into.
“Probably at the moment, he is best to shut up and see where it goes.”
Rosie Duffield, the independent MP and a prominent campaigner for women’s rights, said it was “bizarre that he now seeks to label those making allegations according to their age and class”.
She told The Telegraph: “People who work in the television industry have been raising concerns about this presenter, especially his sexualised and inappropriate ‘banter’ towards women, for quite some time.
“And yet again, this seems to have been allowed to carry on largely unchallenged. It is obviously bizarre that he now seeks to label those making allegations according to their age and class, suggesting he has no understanding of the potential offence caused to colleagues who probably felt powerless to speak up in a culture that has all too often turned a blind eye to this kind of behaviour.”
Wallace’s lawyers have denied the accusations.
Wallace was born in Peckham, in south-east London, in 1964. It was at the time a traditionally working-class neighbourhood, which was heavily redeveloped in the 1960s.
He left school at the age of 14 and began his career in the Covent Garden fruit and vegetable market. In 1989, he started George Allan’s Greengrocers, a company that built up to an eventual turnover of £7.5 million ($16m).
On Friday, Wallace was dropped as ambassador of the charity Ambitious About Autism, which had appointed him in honour of his autistic son.
The Matt Hampson Foundation has also distanced itself from the presenter, with its founder saying the charity does “not condone the kind of behaviour and comments contained in these allegations”.
Matt Hampson wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “We are aware of imagery in recent news coverage showing Gregg Wallace wearing a Matt Hampson Foundation shirt.
“Gregg has been a supporter of the foundation’s work with people after life-changing injury but, as an inclusive charity based on values of community and family, we would like to make clear that we do not condone the kind of behaviour and comments contained in these allegations. The foundation will make no further comment.”
