An independent investigation found that 45 of the 83 allegations made against Gregg Wallace were substantiated, including one of “unwelcome physical contact”
MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace faced 83 allegations during his time on the show, with an independent investigation now substantiating 45 of these claims, including one of “unwelcome physical contact”.
The inquiry, carried out by law firm Lewis Silkin, revealed that “the majority of the allegations against Mr Wallace (94%) related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018”.
Only one allegation was upheld post-2018. The report concluded that the “majority of the substantiated allegations against Mr Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour”, and a smaller number of allegations regarding other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also confirmed.
The seven-month-long investigation took into account Wallace’s autism diagnosis when reaching its judgement.
It also found that “10 standalone allegations were made against other people, two of which were substantiated”. Wallace, aged 60, was interviewed thrice for a total of 14 hours, and was considered “co-operative and forthcoming” throughout the process.
Masterchef producers Banijay commissioned the report following the initial allegations. In light of the sustained allegations, Banijay UK stated that “Wallace’s return to MasterChef (is) untenable”, reports the Express.
Patrick Holland, the chief executive of Banijay UK, admitted that the report “makes for uncomfortable reading, highlighting failures in legacy reporting and HR procedures”, but also offered “valuable insight to ensure that going forward everyone working on our productions feels safe and supported, and that inappropriate behaviour is quickly and professionally dealt with”.
He went on to say: “In earlier years, specifically prior to 2016 where the vast majority of these issues arose, it is clear that escalation procedures were not as robust as they should have been, and awareness of policies and procedures were lacking particularly amongst freelance staff.
“We are extremely sorry to anyone who has been impacted by this behaviour and felt unable to speak up at the time or that their complaint was not adequately addressed. MasterChef is a much-loved show which, year in, year out, changes the lives and careers of contestants, amateur and professional alike.”
He concluded: “It’s made by a brilliant team of outstanding professionals and we look forward to bringing more exceptional cooking to screens in the coming months and years.”
Claire Powell, head of compliance for BBC Television, stated in a dismissal letter that Wallace will not be employed by the broadcaster again after the corporation determined that he was not safe to have in the workplace.
He was informed that executives did not “have the confidence that you can change what seems to be learned behaviour”.
The BBC stated that they considered his autism diagnosis during the evaluation process, but ultimately decided that he “struggled to distinguish the boundaries between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour in the workplace”.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
