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“Everyone is reeling.”
According to one MasterChef staff member, who spoke with a voice cracking with emotion, the past fortnight has been filled with drama. The show has seen both of its presenters ousted in quick succession – first Gregg Wallace, and then John Torode.
“I’m in shock with it all. It’s raw, and fresh,” added the member of the production staff, who wished to remain anonymous.
After months of relative quiet, recent events have unfolded rapidly.
BBC News has spoken with individuals who have worked on the show, as well as those privy to the tense discussions that have taken place behind the scenes in recent weeks. Our investigation reveals the following:
There was a considerable delay in the release of the report concerning Wallace’s conduct. While the full version remains confidential, an executive summary was published on Monday.
The summary revealed that over 40 claims against Wallace had been substantiated, including one involving unwelcome physical contact.
Later that same night, Torode disclosed an allegation against him, stating that he had used “an extremely offensive racist term.” This allegation had also been upheld.
Despite insisting he had “no recollection” of the incident, Torode was dismissed by 17:00 on Tuesday.
While those in leadership positions may assert that decisive action was taken promptly, sources reveal that extensive and strained discussions, including prolonged disagreements between the BBC and the show’s production company, Banijay, took place behind the scenes, particularly regarding Torode.
It was hoped that the report’s publication would bring an end to the crisis, but the events of this week have left both the BBC and Banijay facing even more scrutiny.
This investigation began a year ago, when BBC News received a tip-off regarding a BBC presenter, later identified as Gregg Wallace, who was allegedly behaving inappropriately.
When Wallace’s name was mentioned to industry insiders, it was described as “the biggest open secret in TV.”
After extensive investigation and gaining the trust of individuals willing to come forward – primarily young female freelancers – BBC News published the allegations in November.
Sources have indicated that, following the publication of the story, the MasterChef production team initially adopted a defensive stance, hoping to weather the storm.
Many who had worked with Wallace for years believed that responding would only exacerbate the situation, hoping that BBC News was simply stirring up trouble and that the story would eventually fade away.
There was a prevailing sentiment that Wallace’s career could be salvaged, and that his worst behavior was behind him. Others within the production team, however, were in disbelief.
Sources say that a significant portion of the report focuses on the limited number of formal complaints filed. This aligns with what freelancers have reported – they feared potential repercussions for speaking out.
However, the BBC’s corporate team, having navigated numerous recent crises, recognized the gravity of the situation. They began to “get heavy” and demand action, and Banijay’s leadership also acknowledged the need to take control.
Wallace was subsequently suspended, and the law firm Lewis Silkin was engaged to conduct an investigation. Attention then shifted to the shows already in production, and whether filming could continue.
According to one source, there is a lesson to be learned for the BBC: a long-running show with a tight-knit team can be both a strength and a weakness.
“They know how to produce TV gold, year in and year out. But on the flip side, bad behaviour gets normalised and no one challenges it,” they said.
In response, a Banijay spokesperson stated that 94% of allegations upheld by the inquiry related to behaviour before 2018. They added that Banijay acquired Endemol Shine, the production company behind MasterChef, in 2020, and that methods for reporting concerns “have improved exponentially in recent years.”
While Lewis Silkin conducted its inquiry, dozens more individuals contacted BBC News with new allegations against Wallace. BBC News operates with editorial independence from the wider corporation.
One of those who came forward was a former MasterChef staff member, referred to as Alice, who alleges that Wallace lowered his trousers in front of her in a dressing room.
She participated in the inquiry, but says that spending two hours with the lawyer answering difficult questions made the situation even more challenging.
She added that there was “no follow-up, no duty of care” from Banijay, a claim the production company disputes.
Last week, Alice and other individuals who provided evidence received an email from Lewis Silkin, which BBC News has reviewed, informing them that the inquiry was complete.
The email also stated that individual feedback on specific allegations would not be provided.
Alice described the lack of information about whether her complaint had been upheld as “deeply unsatisfactory.”
“I feel it’s more than within our right to understand more about the investigation than what’s shared in the news,” she said.
The report into Wallace’s conduct, which took eight months to compile, was widely expected to be released two Thursdays ago, but the day came and went.
Behind the scenes, frantic negotiations were underway.
Sources say that the BBC reviewed the findings and began asking questions, specifically regarding the other unnamed individuals referenced in the report.
One of those individuals was Torode. As has now been revealed, an allegation that he had used a severely offensive racist slur had been upheld.
It has been reported that Torode used the N-word at a season filming wrap party in 2019 while singing along to Gold Digger by Kanye West.
It is believed a debate started after he used the word among those present. However, the claim which was upheld against him relates to the previous year when he allegedly used the same word on set following the end of filming, and it was directed at a member of staff.
Only one claim was upheld against him. But BBC News understands that of the 10 additional complaints against other individuals mentioned in the report, nine were about Torode, including other allegations of racist language, abusive language towards junior production staff and sexual language which were unsubstantiated because of a lack of evidence or witnesses. We have not spoken to the people making those allegations.
Torode has stated that any racist language is “wholly unacceptable”. And Banijay, it appears, was not initially planning to dismiss Torode.
However, the BBC’s Director-General, Tim Davie, has insisted that the corporation is drawing “a line in the sand”.
According to Max Goldbart, International TV Editor at Deadline, Torode had been “caught up in the new ‘first strike and you’re out’ policy by the powers-that-be at the BBC. “I wouldn’t say Torode was collateral damage, I’d say that’s offensive to the people who came forward,” he said.
However, he added that the BBC likely wanted to “reset” after the scandal.
BBC News presented these latest developments to the BBC, but the corporation declined to comment.
Earlier this week, a BBC spokesperson described the allegation as “an extremely offensive racist term,” adding: “We will not tolerate racist language of any kind.”
Meanwhile, the role of a senior executive on MasterChef is also under scrutiny. This individual is believed to be the other person against whom a complaint for swearing was upheld.
BBC News has contacted the executive but has not received a response.
A Banijay spokesperson stated that, regarding the swearing allegation, “we are handling appropriately internally”.
The relationship between Wallace and Torode, meanwhile, is believed to have deteriorated.
Notably, Torode never publicly supported Wallace over the past year. In an Instagram post in December, he appeared to be distancing himself from his co-host, describing the allegations against Wallace as “truly upsetting”.
And in his now-deleted Instagram post last week, where he leaked some findings from the report, Wallace seemed to hint at more to come for his co-host.
“What really concerns me about the short summary is others who have been found guilty of serious allegations have been erased from the published version of events. I, and I’m sure the public, would like to know why?”
Insiders have indicated that Wallace was briefing against his former co-presenter.
Furthermore, a former MasterChef worker told BBC News that they were “never friends.”
“Clearly they had a good chemistry when the cameras were rolling. But you rarely saw them interact when the cameras were off,” he said.
He claims to have heard Wallace make crude comments, such as describing a dish as “tasting like his aunt’s vagina”.
“And when Gregg was saying inappropriate things like that, John held his counsel. I never saw him step in.”
Another former MasterChef worker says the dynamic between the two presenters “seemed off”, although she could never pinpoint why.
She also says Torode didn’t ever call out his co-host when Wallace made inappropriate jokes. “John would eye roll but not say anything,” she said.
Neither Wallace nor Torode responded to requests for comment.
Beyond the intrigue and allegations surrounding the presenters, many may simply be wondering if one of their favorite shows will survive.
Speaking to BBC News this week, Tim Davie stated that MasterChef “absolutely” has a future, insisting that the show is “bigger than individuals”.
The show has a new base in Birmingham, and all indications suggest that executives are fully committed to this move.
On Monday, the day the report was released, Shine TV (owned by Banijay) posted a job advertisement for an “experienced Midlands-based production secretary” to work on the next series of the show, commencing this August.
Moreover, the MasterChef insider who spoke with BBC News stated that, despite all the drama of the past week, they are still working to “make the best MasterChef ever”.
Unlike many BBC shows, MasterChef is not an in-house production. In addition to the core show, it has the Professionals, Celebrities, and Christmas specials and is adapted in 65 territories worldwide.
Its viewing figures on linear TV have remained relatively stable, with an average of 3.5 million viewers tuning in to the last series, unchanged from the previous year.
Such successful formats are rare, particularly in the face of increasing pressure from streaming services, which is why the corporation is so eager to retain it.
The dilemma, rather, is what to do with the series that have already been filmed.
Last week, Tim Davie said he wanted to “reflect with the team” before making a decision on the unseen series of MasterChef.
However, sources say that the BBC intends to air the shows in some form, pending consent from contributors.
Last week, only the amateur series, fronted by Wallace, appeared to be at risk. Now, with Torode also gone, MasterChef Celebrities, filmed with Torode and Grace Dent, is also in jeopardy.
The producer who spoke with BBC News stated that his primary concern was for the amateur chefs who participated in the series.
BBC News has not been able to speak with any of the chefs. A copy of the contestants’ guidelines, leaked to BBC News, shows that they are prohibited from speaking until the show airs.
But a former chef on the show told BBC News that it would be “awful” if the series was scrapped, for contestants who “gave up their time, had sleepless nights, dreamt only of recipes”.
The chefs receive no compensation for lost time or income, only travel expenses, accommodation in a “fairly grim hotel” and a £20-a-day meal allowance, she added.
It remains unclear whether the contestants can sue for lost income if a series is filmed but not aired.
Tim Davie indicated that Banijay is in communication with the chefs involved, working with them to reach a resolution. He insisted that no decision has yet been made.
However, some of the women who made claims about inappropriate behavior by Wallace have questioned why they have not been consulted.
“They should not run the series,” one said. Another said it would “make a mockery” of the people who have spoken out.
Thus, following a difficult week, many questions remain unanswered.
It is still unknown who will replace Wallace and Torode. Potential replacements include Grace Dent, who has already appeared on Celebrity MasterChef, and Matt Tebbutt, from Saturday Kitchen.
Executives are clearly hoping for a fresh start – a palate cleanser, if you will – for the show and the wider TV industry.
Whether viewers will connect with new presenters remains to be seen. However, unlike other shows, such as Top Gear, which are centered around their presenters, MasterChef has never truly been about Wallace and Torode.
Readers may also wonder about the future endeavors of Wallace and Torode.
For now, Torode’s weekend program remains in ITV’s schedule, having aired on Saturday morning. However, he will no longer be headlining a food festival next month, with Durham County Council stating that he had “decided to take some time out”.
Meanwhile, Wallace has advertised his services as a weight loss expert on Instagram, offering sessions for £200 each.
Further details regarding the swearing incident – and the unsubstantiated allegations – may emerge, prompting further investigations and recriminations regarding who knew what, and when.
The producer who spoke with BBC News stated that what has been reported “doesn’t feel like the show we’ve been working on over the years”.
He expressed relief that the show he loves will continue, adding, “I didn’t want to see it go down this way.”
Additional reporting by Insaf Abbas
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