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The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
John Torode breaks his silence after being SACKED from MasterChef over ‘racist remark' amid Gregg Wallace scandal
MASTERCHEF host John Torode has spoken out for the first time after being sacked from the show for allegedly making a "serious" racist remark. BBC bosses in into co-host 3 John Torode, 59, was sacked from MasterChef on Tuesday after being accused of making a racist remark during production of the show Credit: Alamy 3 The allegation was revealed in a report that looked into behaviour of Torode's co-host Gregg Wallace Credit: PA 3 Torode was allegedly asked to resign over the weekend and cite mental health issues before he was sacked Credit: Getty Today, Torode finally spoke out against the allegations and his sacking, claiming he had "no recollection" of what he was accused of. He said: "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. "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 last few days seem to have prevented that. Read More on MasterChef "Over the past few months, I have been considering my life and the shape of it now and in the future. "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. For whoever takes over, love it as I have." He added: "I will watch fondly from afar as I now focus on the many other exciting projects that I have been working towards. Most read in News TV "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 & sometimes personal happiness and fulfilment lay elsewhere. "Thank you for the many years of MasterChef." The dossier into Wallace's behaviour upheld a complaint that an unnamed person used a racial phrase on one occasion several years ago. Torode previously told The Sun that this comment referred to him, but added: 'I have absolutely no recollection of this, and I do not believe that it happened.' It was claimed the BBC told the presenter to pretend he had mental health issues and resign, after he was Confirming his sacking on Tuesday, a statement from the BBC read: "John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him. "This allegation – which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace- was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm, Lewis Silkin. "John Torode denies the allegation. He has stated he has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. "He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment. "The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. John Torode SACKED from MasterChef after 'racist remark' in another blow for scandal-hit show after Gregg Wallace saga "John Torode's contract on MasterChef will not be renewed." Banijay wrote a statement which added: "In response to John Torode's statement, it is important to stress that Banijay UK takes this matter incredibly seriously. "The legal team at Lewis Silkin that investigated the allegations relating to Gregg Wallace also substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018. "This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint. "Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef." cooking show with Wallace since 2005, was shocked to be told of the allegation — which did not receive a complaint at the time but had been raised with investigators. The BBC was unable to specify the time or date of the allegation, narrowing it down to '2018 or 2019'. MasterChef scandal timeline 2005 to 2011: Problems with MasterChef began way back in the mid-2000s, with 27 substantiated claims made against host Gregg Wallace regarding alleged incidents in this period, according to a report by law firm Lewis Silkin. Most of these were related to sexually explicit comments, although one allegation of unwanted physical contact in this period was also substantiated. The same report found there was a failure by the production company to retain records of any actions taken during this time. 2012 to 2018: Another 17 allegations were upheld from this period, according to the report. The production company behind MasterChef investigated an allegation about Wallace's behaviour in 2015 - but he was not made aware of the complaint. In 2016, the production company merged with Endemol, introducing more formal policies as well as regular training and anonymous reporting lines. The BBC intervened in response to a complaint in 2017, after which Wallace was then warned to change his behaviour. 2019 to 2024: One substantiated complaint about an inappropriate comment was from this time period. November 2024: Wallace faces allegations of inappropriate sexual comments from 13 people across a 17-year period on a range of TV shows. He steps away from presenting MasterChef while Banijay - the show's production company - announces it will conduct an external review to 'fully and impartially investigate' the claims against him. Some of these allegations included Wallace 'talking openly about his sex life, taking his top off in front of a female worker saying he wanted to 'give her a fashion show', and telling a junior female colleague he was not wearing any boxer shorts under his jeans'. Banijay UK also confirms it has appointed law firm Lewis Silkin to lead the investigation into Wallace's alleged behaviour. December 2024: Wallace posts a video on Instagram which claims accusations against him making sexual comments towards staff and guests have come from 'middle-class women of a certain age'. His remarks are widely panned as "inappropriate and misogynistic', causing Wallace to apologise for any 'offence' or 'upset' he caused with his remarks, saying he will 'take some time out'. Co-host John Torode says he 'loves being part of' the show and 'will continue to be a part of it'. July 8 to 9, 2025: Wallace is sacked as MasterChef presenter following an enquiry into his alleged misconduct by Banijay. In an Instagram post, the former greengrocer claimed he had been cleared of the 'most serious and sensational accusations' against him, ahead of the published review. He also said he recognised that some of his humour and language was inappropriate 'at times' and apologised for this. July 14, 2025: Lewis Silkin publishes its report, on behalf of Banijay. It says that a total of 45 out of the 83 allegations made against Wallace during his time on the show were substantiated, including one allegation of 'unwelcome physical contact'. It concludes that the 'majority of the substantiated allegations against Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour', adding that 'a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated'. In the wake of the report's findings, Banijay says that 'Wallace's return to MasterChef (is) untenable'. July 15, 2025 : Co-host Torode is sacked after allegedly making a racist remark while on the show. BBC bosses axe the TV host and slam an "extremely offensive" term, which was raised in the bombshell report into Gregg Wallace's "inappropriate behaviour". Torode says the comment - which the report attributed to an unnamed person - referred to him, but added: 'I have absolutely no recollection of this, and I do not believe that it happened.' Sources said the BBC and production company Banijay asked John to resign from the beleaguered show last week and claim he had mental health problems — to which he refused. However John — The dad of four said: 'The allegation is I did so sometime between 2018 or 2019, in a social situation, and the person I was speaking with did not believe it was intended in a malicious way and 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.' It is understood to be the only issue involving him in the report, though a source close to him said he is 'absolutely devastated to have been pulled into this mess'. They went on: 'He was at drinks after filming when he is alleged to have used an inappropriate racial term. "The witness said he apologised instantly, and he was mortified. 'The witness even stated he didn't use the term as a slur. 'No one complained at the time, but it's been brought up during the inquiry. "Shockingly he was only made aware of the incident two weeks ago and was only informed on Friday that it would be upheld." What did the report find? FORTY-five allegations made against Gregg Wallace during his time on MasterChef, including one of "unwelcome physical contact", were found to have been substantiated. An independent report commissioned by production company Banijay assessed 83 allegations against Wallace. The report substantiated: - Twelve claims he made inappropriate jokes and innuendo; - Sixteen reports he made sexually explicit comments; - Two allegations that he made sexualised comments to or about someone; - Four complaints that he made culturally insensitive or racist comments; - Three claims that he was in a state of undress; - Seven allegations of bullying; - One allegation of unwanted touching. The allegations span from 2005 to 2024. The BBC called John on Thursday night, followed by an email on Friday, asking him to step back. He was told to have his answer by Monday. A source claimed: 'They ambushed him, and it was suggested he quit due to the stress and scrutiny of the furore around the show. 'Obviously he was absolutely shocked and appalled and told them quite firmly he didn't have any mental health issues. "To try to use mental health as a get-out clause seems incredibly low — and is also deeply unfair to those with genuine mental health trauma. 'John absolutely loves MasterChef, and doesn't want to lose his job because of an investigation into his co-star." Melbourne-born John moved to the UK in 1991 and started working in London restaurants including Quaglino's. It was there he met greengrocer Wallace, who provided their veg. He started cooking on This Morning in 1996 before he and Wallace began hosting the revamped MasterChef in 2005.
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Major car brand to overhaul popular SUV into ‘completely different car' in bid to keep up with rivals
A MAJOR car brand is giving a huge makeover to one of its most popular cars and it's going to look 'completely different'. The iconic SUV is getting an overhaul as part of the 3 Volkswagen are overhauling the design of one of its most iconic vehicles Credit: Alamy 3 The ID 4 will be getting a brand new look Credit: Getty The ID 4 is the company's second electric car, after the ID 3. Now, as the model approaches its fifth anniversary, Thomas Schäfer, Volkswagen's CEO, has said that the new version of the car is 'really beautiful'. Read More on Car News He added: "We'll re-do the ID 4 completely inside and out. It will be a completely different car - a huge step up." The Thomas said that the change is part of a bid for the brand to 'stay competitive' and for the car - which is its 'most important electric vehicle in numbers' - to look like Volkswagen's other designs. According to Autocar, the new version of the vehicle is known as the 'electric Tiguan' in Volkswagen's HQ, though it is unknown if the ID 4 will keep its name. Most read in Motors However, Thomas has confirmed that several major cars produced by Volkswagen will He said: 'We've decided we're not going to throw away the traditional, successful names that have carried us for so long, that we've invested in for so long, like Golf and Tiguan. The Volkswagen ID3 GTX Performance 'Why would you let them go?' First launched in 2020, the ID 4 is the fourth best-selling electric car in Europe behind the ID 7 and ID 4. The electric Tiguan would launch in 2025 or 2026, coinciding with the release of the redesigned ID 4. However, the The American and European variants will share similar designs, while the Chinese equivalents will reflect design trends in 3 The car's design will greatly differ in China compared to Europe Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Two collisions on busy motorway routes cause major delays for Irish road users as several Bus Eireann services CANCELLED
COMMUTERS on the M6 motorway this morning faced major delays following a crash on the busy route. And those planning to travel on the 3 The M50 remains to have little congestion today Credit: Alamy 3 Bus Eireann cancelled three services this morning Credit: Alamy Transport Infrastructure Ireland reported that a single vehicle collision occurred on the M6 westbound between Local emergency services have been alerted and rushed to the scene. Motorists are urged to drive with "caution and reduce speed" when approaching the hazard area and they are encouraged to "obey instructions" from emergency services. They warned READ MORE ON MOTORS Transport Infrastructure Ireland also reported that there was a collision on the M7 Westbound between J12 Newbridge and J13 Kildare. The road was closed, and diversions were put in place at J12. However, the incident was cleared an hour later and the road has since reopened to all motorists. Lastly, they reported that there's only traffic congestion being experienced on the Most read in Motors No delays currently on routes approaching Outside the capital, the traffic is relatively light with no reported congestion or traffic flow disruption. TEST CHECK I'm an Irish driving instructor and here's exactly what your tester is looking for on the day The right lane is affected and remains closed at the moment. Drivers are urged to "drive with caution and reduce your speed". BUS SERVICES CANCELLED Meanwhile, Bus Eireann has cancelled three busy services and suffered travel delays this morning, apologising for the "inconvenience" caused to passengers. The affected service are: Route 243: 06:00 Cork to Newmarket - Cancelled Route 243: 07:50 Newmarket to Dromahane - Cancelled Route 245: 07:30 Mitchelstown to Parnell Place - Cancelled The 8am Cork to Dublin service on Route 245X has been delayed by approximately 30 minutes, while the 7:20am Castletownbere to Cork service on Route 236 has been delayed by 45 minutes due to an accident. A spokesperson said: "Bus Eireann apologises any inconvenience caused." 3 M6 is currently experiencing delays due to a collision Credit: Paddy Cummins - The Sun Dublin
The Irish Sun
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
BBC comedy legend sparks concern as he cancels string of public appearances due to ‘medical situation'
A BBC comedy star sparked concern after cancelling a string of public appearances due to a 'medical situation'. Red Dwarf aired on and off from 1988 to 2020, with stints on BBC Two and Dave. 3 Red Dwarf aired on and off from 1988 to 2020 Credit: Alamy 3 Chris Barrie played Arnold Rimmer in the series Credit: Alamy 3 The hit comedy's core cast members Credit: Alamy Chris Barrie, 65, who played the holographic Arnold Rimmer, has cancelled upcoming public appearances owing to a "medical situation". Over the weekend, the actor had been set to appear at London Comic Con. Chris would have joined co-stars Craig Charles, Posting on his website, the star shared: "Hello everyone. Read more on BBC comedies "I'm going to be brief, but over the last week I have been dealing with a medical situation which I am only just beginning to get my head around. 'In the light of this I shall be attending no more events over the summer and into the autumn . "Updates on all this will be issued as and when.' Continuing, Chris confirmed he would be keeping one date in his calendar for the time being. Most read in News TV Namely, his November 9 appearance at Newcastle comedy event Scarborough Unleashed. He explained: "In the meantime I shall leave Scarborough on the itinerary for now and will look forward to returning there in the early winter . Red Dwarf's Craig Charles reveals there will be more specials of hit show "Obviously I shall miss not being with the posse in London this Sunday but I'm afraid that is the way it is. Enjoy!' Red Dwarf follows the adventures of a group of oddball characters who are stranded on a spaceship three million years in the future . The show's main character Dave Lister wakes up after three million years in suspended animation to find out the rest of the crew on his spaceship were killed in an accident. Red Dwarf cast members Sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf first aired on BBC2 in 1988 and ran until 1999, before it moved to UKTV channel Dave ten years later. Its cast members include: Craig Charles as Dave Lister Chris Barrie as Arnold Rimmer Robert Llewellyn as Kryten Norman Lovett/Hatty Hayridge as Holly This would have left him alone in outer space - if not for the strange companions he met along the way. This includes the hologram of his former bunkmate, the ship's computer, an android he rescues from a shipwreck, and the creature that evolved from what was his pet cat. It first aired on BBC2 in 1988 and ran until 1999, before it moved to UKTV channel Dave ten years later. Last year, it was announced the Comic Con Scotland in Edinburgh .
The Irish Sun
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I was a Grand National jockey shown ‘lifeless' at Aintree after horrific fall – now I'm making a comeback for my kids
A FORMER Grand National jockey shown 'lifeless' on the Aintree turf to millions after a devastating fall is ignoring doctors and making a shock return to the saddle. Davy Condon, who looked destined to be racing's next big thing after being snapped up by Advertisement 3 Davy Condon was a superstar jockey but saw his world come crashing down in a horrific Grand National fall Credit: Alamy 3 A Cheltenham Festival-winning rider, he had banged in winners for Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott Credit: Alamy 3 But Condon was forced to retire after millions watching on home saw his limp body lie motionless on the Aintree turf following a fall from Portrait King in the 2015 National The Irish rider, who TV images showed face-down in the mud as on-course medics rushed to his side, was left with 'spinal concussion' and forced to retire aged 30. Condon was one of the top riders at the time, a teenage sensation-turned-Cheltenham Festival winner and Group 1 champion. But his world came crashing down that Saturday afternoon ten years ago when he was launched from Portrait King at the third-last fence in a Grand National won by Many Clouds. "I was lying on the ground. I couldn't move," he recalled. Advertisement He spent two nights in hospital as a result with doctors ultimately telling him it was too dangerous to ride again. Condon officially called it quits later that month and admitted to 'feeling lost' in the days afterwards. But a decade later he has decided to risk it all again and race at the Curragh in Ireland later this year. Condon will don his silks, lace up his boots and grab his whip for the Pat Smullen Charity Race on August 30. Advertisement Most read in Horse Racing The contest raised funds for Cancer Trials Ireland and is run in honour of nine-time champion Irish jockey Pat Smullen, who died from pancreatic cancer in September 2020. Condon, dad to two young boys aged four and six, said he was moved to race again partly because of them. He told the Condon, who worked as an assistant for Gordon Elliott before going to break in horses for Shadwell in Dubai only to return as assistant to Cheltenham Festival-winning trianer Cian Collins, said: "I wanted to ride in a charity race as a kind of mid-life crisis thing! Advertisement "I have two young boys who are four and six and they never saw me riding. "They see the photos and are always asking me questions. "I told my cousin Paul Townend I wanted to do a charity race and he pointed me in the direction of this one at the Curragh. "I was emotional telling the children I was going to be in the race. Advertisement "They were jumping around the place, all excited." Condon won millions in the saddle, having been signed by Mullins at an early age. He was a Grade 1 winner under the all-conquering Closutton boss, landing the 2007 Supreme on 40-1 outsider Ebaziyan. Condon and Mullins also had success with the likes of serial winner Homer Wells, Holy Orders, Our Ben and Jayo. Advertisement But it was with Noel Meade and Gordon Elliott he would enjoy later victories, his final Grade 1 being the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle aboard Morning Assembly at Punchestown in April 2013. Donate to his FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. . Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Read more on the Irish Sun Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here. Advertisement
