The report into BBC’s MasterChef has been released and it’s even more alarming than I expected.
In total, 83 allegations were made against presenter Gregg Wallace, with 45 upheld – including one of unwelcome physical contact, three of being in a state of undress, seven allegations of bullying, and the majority relating to inappropriate sexual language and humour.
In the aftermath of the findings, the 60-year-old TV presenter told PA that he was ‘deeply sorry for any distress’ his behaviour caused.
The BBC has also apologised to ‘everyone who has been impacted’ by him and confirmed it has no plans to work with him in the future – as if it had a choice.
But the public broadcaster now faces another dilemma: should it air Gregg Wallace’s final series of MasterChef, which was mostly filmed before his suspension in 2024?
Initially, my gut reaction was simple: scrap it. Why on earth should it be shown? What could possibly justify airing it? Aside from the obvious answer: money.
It felt like a clear-cut decision. Wallace, once a household name, is completely unwatchable.
If the BBC is serious about accountability, this series should be shelved permanently.
But then it hit me: binning this series punishes the wrong people. It punishes dozens of aspiring chefs, one of whom was crowned winner — who all risk losing their moment because of one man’s grotesque behaviour.
MasterChef isn’t just a reality show. It’s a career-making platform. It could mean book deals, restaurant partnerships, and the chance to completely change lives.
Not airing it could close doors for people who have done absolutely nothing wrong.
MasterChef’s 2005 champion Thomasina Miers is the best example of how transformative the show can be. After her win, she swiftly went on to become one of the most successful restaurateurs in the country with Wahaca, a Mexican hotspot that now has 14 locations in the UK.
On top of that, she’s presented for Channel 4 and published several books. Miers might not be a household name, but her restaurant is.
How many TV shows can boast launching careers as successful as Miers’?
Others have gone on to work in the most esteemed restaurants in the world. Winner of the 2010 series, Dhruv Baker, and 2013’s Natalie Coleman both cooked at Michelle Roux Jnr’s Michelin star French restaurant, Le Gavroche. Countless others have gone on to release books.
The winner of this latest unaired season deserves their flowers too.
Yes, Wallace is central to the show. As even this career-ending report says, his personality contributed to the show’s success.
He’s on camera constantly and there’s no realistic way to edit him out entirely. But the BBC can limit his presence — keep the focus on the food, the judges, and most importantly, the contestants.
If it’s obvious to viewers they’re trying to minimise him, good. They should be.
Personally, I’ve always been a fan of MasterChef, but always found Wallace unbearable. The show has never been about him, it’s about the contestants – and that will never change.
In a way, shelving the season would be the easy way out. But it should make it to air responsibly. Let Wallace face the consequences of the 45 allegations substantiated against him, but don’t let others pay the price for his downfall.
I appreciate that the thought of Wallace appearing onscreen again is more torture than anyone deserves – especially the people affected by his actions.
And in an ideal world, I agree. He should be a relic of television, spending his immediate future reflecting on the man he’s become, the pain he’s caused, and the person he wants to be moving forward.
His full statement today is disappointing.
In it, he claimed ‘none of the serious allegations against’ him were upheld, then went on to bizarrely explain he has ‘a late autism diagnosis’.
He added: ‘In the end, the BBC left me exposed to trial by media and the damage it leaves in its wake… There will be more casualties if the BBC continues down this path, where protecting its legacy matters more than protecting people.’
In my view, he risks looking like he’s painting himself as the victim and blaming his behaviour on the BBC and his autism diagnosis. This feels misguided.
At the end of the day, I believe that airing Wallace’s final MasterChef isn’t a win for him. I don’t think he will gain anything from this, other than being in the public consciousness for a little bit longer.
While he’s proven time and time again to me to be one of television’s most insufferable narcissists, he’ll never receive the type of publicity he craves. Unfortunately, there will be so many people with a lot to lose.
I understand there is so much trauma at the heart of this. Many complainants have suffered enough and there will be so many more triggered by the findings in the report who have endured a similar hell themselves.
But at the very least, the BBC should put the series on iPlayer if it’s too distasteful to plonk on primetime BBC One. This could be a solution.
Ultimately, MasterChef should air — just with a smaller serving of Gregg Wallace.
