logo
BBC cuts ties with former MasterChef UK host Gregg Wallace amid dozens of sexual misconduct allegations

BBC cuts ties with former MasterChef UK host Gregg Wallace amid dozens of sexual misconduct allegations

The United Kingdom's BBC says it will no longer work with MasterChef host Gregg Wallace after a report found dozens of misconduct allegations made against the hit cooking show presenter were upheld.
The report, led by a law firm, said 45 out of the 83 allegations made against Wallace during his time on the show between 2005 and 2018 were substantiated.
It said the majority of the claims related to "inappropriate sexual language and humour," with one incident including unwelcome physical contact.
Wallace, 60, stepped away from hosting the hit BBC reality show, which is made by an independent production company, last year while an investigation was launched into allegations made by multiple women that he made inappropriate sexual comments and behaved inappropriately over 17 years.
The BBC has come under pressure over how it handles sexual misconduct allegations and how Wallace had continued to front some of its most popular shows for so long despite the complaints.
The broadcaster issued a statement of apology, adding Wallace's "return to MasterChef is untenable".
The broadcaster previously said that Wallace was warned by his employers after a complaint in 2018, and an internal investigation at the time found his behaviour was "unacceptable and unprofessional".
Wallace had claimed he had been cleared of the "most serious and sensational accusations" against him ahead of publication of the report into his alleged misconduct.
In a statement posted on his Instagram account last week, he said: "I will not go quietly. I will not be cancelled for convenience. I was tried by media and hung out to dry well before the facts were established."
MasterChef is one of the BBC's most popular and long-running competition shows, and has been adapted in other countries including MasterChef Australia.
AP
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Block judge Marty Fox teases US expansion and new reality show
Block judge Marty Fox teases US expansion and new reality show

News.com.au

time5 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Block judge Marty Fox teases US expansion and new reality show

The Block judge Marty Fox has revealed plans to take Whitefox global, and hinted at a future reality series of his own. Fox, who founded Whitefox in 2017, travelled to the US last month to record an episode of his With The Fox podcast with celebrity real estate agent Ryan Serhant, known globally for his roles in Million Dollar Listing and Netflix's Owning Manhattan. 'To be sitting with the most well known agent on the planet for my podcast was a great insight for our listeners', Fox told the Herald Sun. 'He's broken into the most competitive market in the world, built a globally recognised brand from scratch, and turned over eye-watering numbers.' Serhant recently confirmed he had closed the biggest deal of his career — a nearly $200m transaction — and previously sold Florida's most expensive home for just under $140m. His client list has reportedly included celebrities, tech billionaires, royalty, and high-net-worth international buyers. Fox confirmed to the Herald Sun that Whitefox is now tracking toward $2.5bn-$3bn in annual sales, with offices set to open in London and Dubai within 12 months. A US research trip is scheduled for late 2026, and Fox said he and his family would move to Europe for 12 months from June 2027 to support the international rollout. 'It's 100 per cent happening' he said. 'Once we land in the US, it's game on.' Fox said the company's ambition is to become the first international, privately owned, non-franchised boutique luxury real estate brand, and confirmed he's already been approached about launching a Whitefox reality series. 'Once Whitefox is operating globally, the stories, the people, the brand itself, it's tailor-made for storytelling on screen,' he said. 'We've had multiple approaches.' During the podcast, Serhant admitted that leading a global company had taken a personal toll. 'I don't think the brain damage is worth the enterprise value for starting your own company,' he said. Fox said people see the cars, the fashion and the big results, but what they don't see is the emotional weight we carry for our clients. 'Real estate isn't just deals. It's divorce, death, financial hardship, relocation, heartbreak,' he said. 'And we need to help client's navigate these high pressure situations. The pair connected over similar childhoods, both moved schools more than seven times, and their shared belief in brand storytelling. Fox said his background in marketing helped shape Whitefox cinematic visual language from day one. 'We launched Whitefox in 2017, about two years before Ryan launched Serhant,' he said. Back in Australia, Fox has returned to screens for The Block 2025 — his third season as judge — filmed this year in Daylesford. He said the new format, with homes built from scratch, marked a major shift for the long-running renovation series. 'This year is the most exciting, true competition format The Block has ever done,' Fox said. 'For the first time, it's a completely level playing field. Contestants have to dig deep and problem-solve every week.' Fox told the Herald Sun his direct judging style remains unchanged from previous seasons. 'I give feedback in black and white. It's direct, but always practical. The contestants really appreciate that,' he said. 'They're there to make as much profit as possible, so I judge through the lens of delivering a product to market.' As Whitefox expands into the US, and with his growing media profile, Fox hasn't ruled out the possibility of judging a future international version of The Block or leading a reality series of his own, with him at the helm. Asked about standout auction moments, Fox named his 2020 Block auction for Harry and Tash, watched by more than two million people during Covid lockdown, and the agency's first-ever street auction in Perth. 'It 40 degrees, I was in shorts, and we had 120 people surrounding us,' Fox said. 'It went hundreds of thousands over reserve, and I knew right then, Whitefox had landed in Perth.' That auction helped spark Whitefox's national expansion, which now includes 15 company-owned offices across Australia and New Zealand. 'Melbourne, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide, and now we're about to open our second Perth office,' he said. The With The Fox episode featuring Ryan Serhant drops later this week.

Fresh drama erupts after secret royal peace talks: ‘Frustrated'
Fresh drama erupts after secret royal peace talks: ‘Frustrated'

News.com.au

time11 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Fresh drama erupts after secret royal peace talks: ‘Frustrated'

IN LONDON Shortly after details of secret talks between Prince Harry and King Charles' senior aides emerged, the delicate push toward reconciliation has already hit a snag. The UK's Telegraph reports that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's team is frustrated that the story, which included quotes from a source and pictures of the sensitive meeting, leaked so quickly to The Mail on Sunday. A huge factor in the years-long rift between both camps has been mutual distrust – and having specific details of the private conversation between Tobyn Andrae, the King's communications secretary, Harry's new chief communications officer, Meredith Maines, and his UK-based publicist, Liam Maguire, picked up by the press almost immediately has done nothing to help the situation. According to the Telegraph, sources insisted that Harry's camp was not responsible for the leak, despite suspicions. Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on the matter. In the initial story, published on Sunday, a source told the Mail: 'There's a long road ahead, but a channel of communication is now open for the first time in years. There was no formal agenda, just casual drinks. There were things both sides wanted to talk about.' It came after a period of increasingly hostile relations between the US-based Sussexes and the Palace, following the release of a series of personal – and unflattering – details about the couple's issues during their time as working royals. As a result, senior royals had become 'wary' of speaking to either Harry or Meghan over concerns details would be used in future projects, as had occurred with their Netflix series and the duke's memoir, Spare. For his part, one of Harry's main gripes about life within the monarchy was his allegation that members of his family were leaking stories about each other to the press. Meanwhile, after the 'peace summit' over the weekend, it's now been reported that Harry could potentially meet with the King in just a matter of weeks. In May, he had confirmed he and his father were no longer on speaking terms, marking a sad new development in what's been a turbulent few years in their relationship. The Sun 's royal editor Matt Wilkinson reports that Harry '[gave] his blessing' for the casual meeting, which was centred around ways to finally reconcile family issues, although he added that 'a proposal for Harry to make a royal return was not on the agenda'. It's unclear which side reached out first to book the catch-up, and it's understood no-one from Prince William's team was present. In September, Harry is expected to return to the UK to attend the annual WellChild Awards, of which he is patron, providing a potential opportunity for the pair to meet in person for the first time in 18 months. They last saw each other back in early 2024, when Harry made a quick dash back to London to see his father shortly after he revealed his cancer diagnosis. If Harry and the King arrange a reunion, it would mark a significant turning point in the ongoing feud between the duke and the royal family, which was sparked before Harry and Meghan sensationally quit official duties and moved to the US. September is already set to be a big month for the royals, with the announcement on Monday that they will be hosting US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on a state visit.

Summer Irvin sues Queensland law firm over alleged pregnancy discrimination
Summer Irvin sues Queensland law firm over alleged pregnancy discrimination

News.com.au

time16 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Summer Irvin sues Queensland law firm over alleged pregnancy discrimination

A young lawyer and former reality TV star is suing a prominent law firm, alleging she was sacked for falling pregnant. Summer Irvin, who starred on Seven's First Dates, has taken legal action in the federal circuit court against a Queensland-based law firm, The Australian reports. In her statement of claim, Ms Irvin alleges that a legal director informed her during an October 23 meeting that the firm had 'made an ­operational decision to cut costs and was considering making her position redundant on the basis that the work could be done by less people'. According to Ms Irvin, she had informed the firm on October 9 that she was seven weeks pregnant. She claims she became distressed and began to cry, and told the director she believed she was being dismissed due to her pregnancy. He refused to provide more details on the reasons for her redundancy, only 'stating words to the effect of 'I am not getting into it with you, think what you like but it has nothing to do with your pregnancy'', according to the claim. When she threatened to challenge her dismissal, she claims he then abruptly left the meeting. She was offered a six-week notice period and four weeks' redundancy. She further alleges the firm targeted her for telling colleagues she had been 'fired because she was pregnant', according to her claim. The law firm alleged her conduct damaged its reputation and 'amounted to serious misconduct', which she denies. Ms Irvin is suing for around $230,000 in damages for financial losses, including medical bills for psychiatric injury, The Australian reports. In its defence filed in court, the firm said her redundancy was legitimate and denied her claims. It alleges the decision was made after realising other employees could 'easily absorb' her 'light workload'. The firm alleges Ms Irvin was 'unproductive', had 'a negative impact on workplace culture' because she was 'rude and disrespectful', and was 'too inexperienced to work without in-person supervision'. She was also 'unable to work collaboratively, in a team environment, as was expected of her' and 'failed, refused or neglected to ­follow her employer's lawful ­directions', the defence states. Ms Irvin initially filed a claim with the Fair Work Commission in February, alleging dismissal from employment in contravention of a general protection. The case was sent to the federal circuit court last month for assisted dispute resolution, with mediation scheduled for October 15.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store