Gregg Wallace was the reason I quit TV, says Melanie Sykes

Melanie Sykes has shared that she filed a casual complaint against Gregg Wallace, explaining that her experience working with him on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021 contributed to her decision to leave television.

On Monday evening, the BBC decided not to heed requests to remove the cooking show from its planned time slot. This came on a day when Wallace expressed regret for referring to his critics as "middle-class women of a certain age."

This week, two additional episodes of MasterChef: the Professionals are set to be broadcast, one on Tuesday night and the other on Thursday. The BBC has assured viewers that the episodes will air as scheduled.

Wallace has stepped down from his position on MasterChef as of last week. The production company, Banijay, is currently looking into accusations of past inappropriate behavior, which include three instances of unwanted physical contact.

Sykes took to YouTube to elaborate on her earlier remarks regarding Wallace from her autobiography, *Illuminated*, which came out last year. She noted that her time on MasterChef was quite revealing, and she was shocked by certain unprofessional conduct that occurred on set.

In the YouTube video, she talked about what she referred to as the shocking news from last week regarding Wallace. She mentioned, "I wasn't really comfortable with Gregg being at the desk whenever he came by."

Sykes mentioned that she raised concerns after her time on the show, explaining, "I didn't want to file a formal complaint because I would end up in legal battles, and I believe that’s one reason many people choose not to speak up."

Her remarks followed Vanessa Feltz's assertion that Wallace, during an initial encounter with one of her friends in a BBC elevator, had recounted a sexual act he had engaged in.

Feltz also took to YouTube to share her thoughts, mentioning a friend who was unfamiliar with Wallace. This friend had never encountered him before and found themselves in an elevator with a “young girl” who was part of a different program.

"As the three of them were riding the elevator, Gregg Wallace unexpectedly started talking about a sexual encounter he had with his wife that morning," she explained. "My friend didn’t know him at all and hadn’t inquired about his personal life. She was just taking him to a BBC event, and the woman in the elevator was just an unsuspecting bystander."

She mentioned, "A close friend and colleague of mine brought this up back then. But what actions did anyone take? Clearly, nothing at all."

Feltz and Sykes made their statements as the pressure on the BBC grew to remove Wallace from the air. This comes while investigations are underway regarding accusations of sexual remarks and inappropriate touching involving the 60-year-old.

On Tuesday morning, Stephen Fry expressed to Sky News that he found it "incredibly misguided" for Wallace to release his video targeting "middle-class women of a certain age."

He remarked, "Etiquette has evolved over time. During the Victorian era, there were topics that were considered inappropriate to mention or display. It was simply a matter of politeness to adhere to these unspoken rules, as people would become distressed or offended if their values weren't honored."

"I believe we all need to understand that it's not about being politically correct; it's really about being aware of the environment around us."

On Tuesday, Jess Phillips, the Labour MP and minister responsible for safeguarding and addressing violence against women and girls, expressed that she was okay with MasterChef continuing to broadcast while the host, Wallace, is being looked into for his supposed conduct.

In her interview with BBC Breakfast, she stated, “Gregg Wallace isn't the sole host of MasterChef. If it were just his show, I would understand if people thought it should be canceled right away.”

Banijay has announced that the law firm Lewis Silkin will carry out the review. Wallace's attorneys have stated that he denies any allegations of sexual harassment.