BBC Radio 4 presenter Aasmah Mir has spoken out about her experience working with MasterChef star Gregg Wallace, who was sacked from the show earlier this month
Celebrity MasterChef participant Aasmah Mir has confessed that she “feels sorry” for Gregg Wallace, following her complaints about his language on the BBC show’s set. The radio presenter, who competed in the show in 2017, lodged a complaint after Gregg Wallace allegedly referred to a BBC colleague as a “sexy b****”.
Gregg was dismissed by Banijay last week after an investigation upheld 45 out of 83 allegations of inappropriate behaviour, following a seven-month probe. Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Aasmah discussed her “uncomfortable experience” with him, but admitted she feels sympathy for the sacked presenter.
“I feel sorry for him, I do feel sorry for Gregg Wallace because of the neurodivergence, which is quite obvious here,” she stated. “But someone – the production company – should have stepped in earlier and said, ‘this is not acceptable.’ We wouldn’t have the mess we have today.”
Aasmah revealed Gregg’s alleged comment to her last year when he resigned from hosting MasterChef during the investigation into his conduct.
Reflecting on how she felt at the time, Aasmah shared on GMB today: “It’s not the worst thing in the world, no one has died but it was an uncomfortable experience,” reports the Mirror.
“I remember feeling destabilised and I remember my cheeks were burning because I was thinking, ‘What happened there?'”
She further noted that John Torode did not respond to Gregg’s remark. “No one said anything. Both Gregg Wallace and John Torode looked completely blank, poker face. Like nothing had happened.
“I don’t know how many of the substantiated allegations he witnessed so I can only talk about my own, but all I know is Gregg Wallace used an incredibly inappropriate term and John Torode didn’t do anything. There was no emotion.
“That could be because it was 2017, it had been going on since 2005 – the programme. Maybe he’d just become used to it? You would expect some emotion on his face perhaps but maybe he was just used to it and that’s not his fault necessarily. It’s Gregg Wallace’s for putting him in that position.”
Earlier this week, John was dismissed from MasterChef following Lewis Silkin’s investigation into Gregg’s behaviour which upheld a claim against him of using racist language.
While John denied the allegation, the BBC stated that it takes the finding “extremely seriously”, adding: “We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”
John, who claimed he had “no recollection” of the incident happening, is gearing up to take legal action against the BBC. A source told The Mirror: “He wants to pursue them for unfair dismissal. He’s telling people there is no proof of his supposed comment. It was not in a work capacity, it was just hearsay. John is determined to clear his name.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
