MasterChef's Gregg Wallace 'deeply sorry' for behaviour
The report, led by law firm Lewis Silkin, found that the 'majority of the allegations against Mr Wallace (94%) related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018', with only one allegation substantiated after 2018.
The report also concluded that the 'majority of the substantiated allegations against Mr Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour'.
Following the report's publication this morning (July 14), Wallace has released a statement.
Gregg Wallace 'deeply sorry' for behaviour
In a statement to the PA news agency, he said: 'For eight months, my family and I have lived under a cloud.
"Trial by media, fuelled by rumour and clickbait.
"None of the serious allegations against me were upheld.
"I challenged the remaining issue of unwanted touching but have had to accept a difference in perception, and I am deeply sorry for any distress caused.
"It was never intended.
"I'm relieved that the Banijay report fully recognises that my behaviour changed profoundly in 2018.
"Some of my humour and language missed the mark.
"I never set out to harm or humiliate.
"I always tried to bring warmth and support to MasterChef, on screen and off.
'After nearly 20 years on the show, I now see that certain patterns, shaped by traits I've only recently begun to understand, may have been misread.
"I also accept that more could have been done, by others and by myself, to address concerns earlier.
'A late autism diagnosis has helped me understand how I communicate and how I'm perceived.
"I'm still learning.
"Banijay have given me great support, and I thank them.
"But in the end, the BBC left me exposed to trial by media and the damage it leaves in its wake.
'To those who've shown kindness, thank you.
Recommended reading:
"It mattered.
"This has been brutal.
"For a working-class man with a direct manner, modern broadcasting has become a dangerous place.
"I was the headline this time. But I won't be the last.
'There will be more casualties if the BBC continues down this path, where protecting its legacy matters more than protecting people.
"For my part, with full legal support, I will consider my next move."
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