Lorraine Kelly slams Gregg Wallace's 'strange' behaviour
The 60-year-old later issued a statement criticising the BBC and claiming that his neurodiversity had been overlooked.
(Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire)
READ MORE: BBC tells Gregg Wallace 'you will not change' as star hires 'aggressive lawyer'
Discussing the allegations on her show, telly presenter Lorraine said: "Gregg Wallace has released a statement, many statements. He's tried to get ahead of this a lot, and he's said many, in my opinion, inappropriate things.
"It's just quite strange because he has a little boy who has autism as well. I find that bizarre, I find that very strange."
Last year, the Gorbals-born TV host had told Wallace to "shut up" on air after he said that all complaints against him were from "middle-class women of a certain age".
During the recent discussion on her show, Lorraine was joined by guest Nicola Thorp, a former Coronation Street star, who called for the firing of MasterChef's executive producer.
(Image: IAN WEST)
READ MORE: Gregg Wallace to make appearance on BBC's MasterChef later this year
She said: "There's two things that need to happen in the entertainment industry - number one, we need a centralised reporting system.
"The second thing that needs to happen is, instead of firing individual presenters, they need to fire executive producers.
"I promise you, if not just the presenter but the executive producers get the sack, those exec producers will make sure that everybody on set is treated fairly and make sure people are reporting right to the top."
She later added: "I was made aware of Gregg Wallace a long time ago but people weren't listening about the comments being made."
The news of Wallace's dismissal came after production company Banijay launched an investigation into his conduct on the popular BBC1 show, inviting anyone who had worked with him to share their experiences.
READ MORE: 'Furious' Gregg Wallace 'breaks his silence' after being sacked by the BBC
Following his sacking, Wallace released a statement acknowledging that "some of (his) humour and language missed the mark".
However, he said, after almost two decades on MasterChef, "I now see that certain patterns, shaped by traits I've only recently begun to understand, may have been misread".
Wallace, who said a "late autism diagnosis" had helped him understand how he is "perceived", criticised the BBC, saying the corporation had left him "exposed to trial by media".
He said: "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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