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MasterChef presenter John Torode confirms he was subject of racist language allegation

MasterChef presenter John Torode confirms he was subject of racist language allegation

The Guardian9 hours ago
The MasterChef presenter John Torode has said he was the subject of an allegation of using racist language that was upheld as part of an inquiry into the behaviour of co-presenter Gregg Wallace.
The report, commissioned by MasterChef's production company Banijay UK, found 45 out of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated, alongside two standalone allegations made against other people, including one for using racist language.
In a post on Instagram, Torode confirmed he was the person alleged to have used racist language but said he had 'no recollection of the incident' and was 'shocked and saddened' by the allegation.
'I am aware of speculation that I am one of the two other individuals against whom an allegation has been upheld,' his statement said.
'For the sake of transparency, I confirm that I am the individual who is alleged to have used racial language on one occasion.
'The allegation is that I did so sometime in 2018 or 2019, in a social situation, and that the person I was speaking with did not believe that it was intended in a malicious way and that I apologised immediately afterwards.
'I have absolutely no recollection of any of this, and I do not believe that it happened. However, I want to be clear that I've always had the view that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment.
'I'm shocked and saddened by the allegation as I would never wish to cause anyone any offence.'
Wallace was sacked from MasterChef prior to the release of the report, which included one allegation of 'unwelcome physical contact' that was upheld.
Wallace said he was 'deeply sorry for any distress caused' and that he 'never set out to harm or humiliate'.
The BBC was contacted for comment.
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Bride breaks down in tears after wedding dress rips just moments before she walks down the aisle
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time39 minutes ago

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The Reddit-poster complained that his bride's dress showed off her legs and cleavage and was too sexy to be walking down the aisle in. He even thought that some of the male guests avoided her all night out of embarrassment. He wrote: 'On the wedding day, she showed up wearing a sheer lace dress that was too revealing and no flesh coloured lining. 'I could see her whole legs and her undies (they were lace and not sheer). I would have preferred that she didn't wear her cleavage bursting out. It wasn't necessary. 'I thought sexiness was reserved for the wedding night, not for our guests to see. I would have been okay with it had I been used to this being her style, but I don't know what happened. 'Our friends and families (males) kept a bit distant trying to avoid her and I think it's because they were trying to be respectful. The top of the dress wasn't sheer, but her breasts were almost popping out and she couldn't dance as happily and carefree as she always does because of it. The groom explained that he knew it was a minor detail and just an 'aesthetic dispute' that he would forget about eventually but he said it went against their traditional family's values. While the dress and hair colour were a shock, the new husband revealed what really upset him was the discovery that his wife had been asking for money from guests without his knowledge. The Reddit poster explained that they had previously agreed not to ask their guests for money - although he clarified they did get 'cash gifts and physical presents' - but was shocked to find out his wife had tired to establish a minimum fee. He revealed he only discovered the betrayal after her best friend dropped out of the wedding due to pressure to give extra cash. The groom confessed he had been left disappointed because 'the church was missing a chunk of guests' and he felt a 'black cloud' hanging over them all day. He went on to say that the trust between him and his new wife is completely broken because he lost friends and people he cared about. He added: 'I don't see how therapy can fix this. It's not just about my trust, but about how this person is a whole human being apart from the woman that I thought I knew.' On the Reddit thread, the recently married man asked whether it was reasonable to ask for a divorce even though he knew it would 'destroy her' and said he wanted to at least file for a legal separation. He added he felt he could no longer go on 'sleeping next to someone who was willing to take from others' and said he felt too betrayed. And other Reddit users rushed to his defence with one writing: 'I would run if I realised my fiancé's idea about a wedding was about filing up her bank account. A wedding should be a celebration of love. I don't have an opinion about her dress.' Another said: 'Divorce or annulment. If she does things like this behind your back before marriage, think of the things she will do behind your back now that she has you locked in. 'A good foundation for any relationship is built on trust, respect and clear communication at the bare minimum and she violated all three. Run for the hills.' And one commented: 'The clothing thing is not important, but lying and pressuring loved ones for money behind your back is an early indicator of how your life will be going. Is this someone you can spend the rest of your life with? I think the answer is no.' But others were on the wife's side and criticised the groom for slating his new bride's wedding dress, encouraging her to run for the hills. One person said: 'The money hustling is tacky and worth divorcing over. Hating her hair/dress is tacky and worth her divorcing you over. 'So maybe you two flawed people should talk about all this, apologize to each other, and do better moving forward.' Another user wrote: 'This poor woman has married a complete monster.'

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