John Torode cancels public appearance event at last minute after Masterchef axe
John Torode has withdrawn from the Seaham Food Festival, Durham County Council has confirmed. The former MasterChef host was set to be the star of the show at the council run event on August 2 and 3.
Torode was expected to dazzle festival-goers in the cookery theatre with his culinary expertise but has now dropped out of the event. Despite his cancellation, Dean Edwards, Chris Baber, Nelly Ghaffar and other renowned chefs will still join over 120 traders in the seaside town for the weekend's festivities.
A representative from Durham County Council said: "We appreciate this has been a difficult time for John and, as a result, he has decided to take some time out. He will, therefore, not be appearing at this year's Seaham Food Festival." The announcement comes after the BBC and MasterChef production company Banijay's decision not to renew Torode's contract amid allegations of him using "highly offensive racist language" back in 2018.
John has vehemently denied the claim, insisting that he does not remember such an incident occurring, the Mirror reports.
The allegation surfaced during an independent probe conducted by the legal firm Lewis Silkin, which had previously substantiated 45 complaints against John's co-presenter Gregg Wallace, who was axed from MasterChef earlier this year.
John took to Instagram on Tuesday to address rumours of his departure from MasterChef, claiming the BBC and Banijay had left him in the dark.
The celebrity chef expressed his own confusion about the situation, writing: "Although I haven't heard from anyone at the BBC or Banijay – I am seeing and reading that I've been 'sacked' from MasterChef and I repeat that I have no recollection of what I'm accused of.
"The enquiry could not even state the date or year of when I am meant to have said something wrong."
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Torode expressed disappointment at being axed from the show which he has been a part of since its 2005 relaunch and said that recent events seemed to have taken that choice away.
The 59-year-old reflected on his time and future on the BBC show, saying: "I'd hoped that I'd have some say in my exit from a show I've worked on since its relaunch in 2005, but events in the last few days seem to have prevented that.
"Over the past few months, I have been considering my life and the shape of it now and in the future."
Confirming his exit, he announced: "Celebrity MasterChef, which I recently filmed with Grace Dent along with two fantastic Christmas specials will be my last.
"Personally, I have loved every minute working on MasterChef, but it's time to pass the cutlery to someone else."
He encouraged whoever replaces him to cherish the role as much as he did and said he will continue to keep updated with the show while he focuses on new projects.
Torode added: "For whoever takes over, love it as I have. I will watch fondly from afar as I now focus on the many other exciting projects that I have been working towards."
Acknowledging the impact of his long tenure on the show, he joked about his stomach needing a break after two decades.
He added: "My tummy will be grateful for a rest after 20 years of eating, but what a joy it has been. Life is everchanging and ever moving and sometimes personal happiness and fulfilment lay elsewhere.
"Thank you for the many years of MasterChef. JOHN TORODE."
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