BBC News can confirm that a second contestant on this year’s series of MasterChef has been edited out, amid ongoing controversy surrounding the program.
According to a spokesperson for Banijay, the show’s production company, “One other contributor decided that given recent events they would like not to be included. We have of course accepted their wishes and edited them out of the show.”
This follows the removal of Sarah Shafi, another contestant who requested her episodes not be broadcast in the wake of a report substantiating claims against hosts Gregg Wallace and John Torode.
Despite the allegations and subsequent dismissal of Wallace and Torode, the BBC opted to air this year’s amateur series, which was filmed prior to their departure. The network stated this decision was “the right thing to do” for the participating chefs.
However, this decision has drawn criticism from some women who have come forward, and the broadcasting union Bectu, which argued that such behavior “should not be rewarded with prime-time coverage.”
Kirsty Wark, a former Celebrity MasterChef contestant and BBC journalist, suggested the BBC could have considered refilming the series without Wallace and Torode.
Ultimately, both Wallace and Torode remain in the series, which premiered last week on BBC One and iPlayer.
However, the aired episodes appear to have been edited to minimize comedic elements and reduce on-screen banter between the hosts and contestants.
The episode slated to feature the second contestant in question aired on BBC One on Wednesday night, showcasing only five chefs instead of the customary six.
BBC News understands that the individual in question has requested anonymity and will not appear in the program.
It is believed that Shafi’s episode has not yet been broadcast.
The BBC previously acknowledged that airing the series was “not been an easy decision,” but stated that “widespread support” existed among the chefs for the series to proceed.
“In showing the series, which was filmed last year, it in no way diminishes our view of the seriousness of the upheld findings against both presenters,” the statement continued.
“However, we believe that broadcasting this series is the right thing to do for these cooks who have given so much to the process. We want them to be properly recognised and give the audience the choice to watch the series.”
The MasterChef controversy initially surfaced last year, when BBC News initially reported on misconduct allegations levied against Wallace.
Last month, a report from Banijay revealed that 83 complaints had been filed against Wallace, with over 40 being upheld. These included one instance of unwelcome physical contact and three instances of being in a state of undress.
Wallace has maintained that he was cleared of “the most serious and sensational allegations.”
In a recent interview with The Sun, he expressed that he was “so sorry” to anyone he hurt, but insisted that he was “not a groper, a sex pest or a flasher.”
The upheld complaint against Torode involved a severely offensive racist term allegedly used on the set of MasterChef in 2018.
The presenter stated that he had “no recollection” of the incident and that any racist language is “wholly unacceptable.”
Wallace will be replaced by Irish chef Anna Haugh in the final episodes of the new series, aligning with the timing of the allegations emerging during filming in November.
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