Gregg Wallace denies allegations of ‘sexual’ comments to BBC staffer in 2018
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MasterChef celebrity Gregg Wallace has responded to allegations that he made inappropriate sexual remarks to a female coworker at the BBC in 2018.
Wallace, 59, is alleged to have boasted about his sexual experiences with his wife, Anna Wallace, and to have removed his shirt in front of an employee, as reported by The Sun.
The TV host, who previously presented Inside the Factory, strongly refuted the allegations by posting a video on Instagram on the morning of October 14.
“Good morning. Regarding the news reports, he clarified that these claims were looked into by the BBC six years ago.”
"Six years ago, the BBC looked into the claims, and it was concluded that my remarks were not of a sexual nature. I want to emphasize again: they were not sexual. Thank you."
Wallace, who claims to be "head over heels" for his 37-year-old wife Anna, stated that it is important for him to make it obvious that he is not " flirting " with anyone other than her.
"There's another point I'm passionate about—so much so that I want to share it on [Instagram]. No one has accused me of flirting or making a move on anyone for the past six years or even earlier."
"This is really important to me, and I speak for my wife, Anna, who I've been devoted to and deeply in love with since the moment we met. I want to clarify that there's been no misunderstanding—I'm not interested in flirting with anyone. No one has ever claimed that I was, and I would never do that."
Last year, the host had to leave Inside the Factory due to reportedly making "inappropriate" remarks to female employees.
In March 2023, Wallace stepped down from his position as the host of the BBC2 series after seven seasons. He mentioned that he wished to dedicate more time to his three-year-old son.
The Times, however, revealed that an event at a Nestlé factory in York earlier this year also played a role in his choice to resign.
During the visit in question, Wallace reportedly made comments to the staff that were deemed inappropriate. Sources indicate that these remarks concerned the weight of female employees but were not of a sexual nature.
In response to the claims, a spokesperson for Wallace stated to The Independent at that time: "We direct you to the initial statement that clearly outlines his reasons for opting out of continuing with the series."