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The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I know my TV career's over & I fear for my financial future, says Gregg Wallace as he moans about BBC sacking
FURIOUS Gregg Wallace has vowed never to watch MasterChef again following his sacking. Asked if he will tune in to the latest series which he co-presented, he said: 'No, no, no, no.' 5 Former TV star Gregg Wallace vowed never to watch MasterChef again following his sacking Credit: Dan Charity 5 Wallace with his wife Anne-Marie Sterpini Credit: Dan Charity The 60-year-old — The BBC confirmed it will air the series with Defiant Wallace has hit back at the damning legal investigation into his behaviour — claiming HE was groped during his time on MasterChef. The furious 60-year-old ex-presenter, fired this month, also believes he was accused of wrongdoing by women with an 'agenda' against him. READ MORE ON GREGG WALLACE In a hard-hitting interview, he acknowledges he will never appear on TV again - and says he will not watch the new series of the show in which he features alongside axed co-host John Torode. He says: 'The whole complaints procedure needs to be readdressed - there are huge problems with it as things stand. 'Being on MasterChef was brilliant but I had so many bad experiences on that show too. Most read in News TV 'Had I wanted to raise any complaints, I'd have had the decency to speak to that person directly. Privately, not publicly. 'My God, can you imagine the complaints I could have made? Have you got any idea of the sexual references made to me on a daily basis? 'How many times I've been touched by women wanting a selfie? How many times I've been groped? How many times suggestive comments have been made to me? How many female contestants have said inappropriate things on MasterChef? Shamed Gregg Wallace says 'I'm no groper, sex pest or flasher,' as tearful star refuses to accept blame for BBC sacking 'It wouldn't even cross my mind though. Now, I'm not suggesting that groping is right, but it was happening to me on a regular basis. It was just extraordinary. 'This is what I mean about the idea that presenters are god-like and they're just throwing their weight around and bullying people. 'The amount of times when I was desperately trying to build a career in television that I've been shouted at and bullied. I don't know what the answer is, and I understand the need for anonymity, but I wouldn't wish anyone to be dragged through what I have.' While he recognises that genuine whistleblowers must be protected, he firmly believes some women were 'weaponising' their dislike of him. He is, it is clear, a very angry man - and certainly a bruised one. He told The Sun yesterday that he was not a 'groper, a sex pest or a flasher'. He also backed Torode, who had an allegation of racism upheld against him during the probe into Wallace's behaviour. He confirms he is contemplating suing the BBC — after taking on attack-dog lawyer Dan Morrison — for what he believes is their 'unfair' treatment of him. Under the 2010 Equalities Act, employers are duty-bound to protect those with disabilities - which includes He sighs: 'Honestly I don't know if I will go through with it right now though. I feel utterly battered and bruised, and right now just want to hide behind my sofa drinking Horlicks. 'Perhaps when the dust has settled but it's too early to say what I will do next.' Last week the BBC and MasterChef production company Banijay confirmed they will be airing the series which he and Torode filmed last year. Will 5 Wallace said: 'Wokeism and cancel culture is terrifying - I just hope no one else ever has to go through anything like this' Credit: Dan Charity 5 Wallace's co-host John Torode was also sacked from the show Credit: BBC 5 Wallace was ridiculed for an exchange he had with Nick Holder on X/Twitter which went viral Credit: Twitter He rages: 'No, no, no, no. I'm hurt. I don't want anything to do with telly. I don't want anything to do with the BBC. I really don't care. I'm just really pleased for the contestants because MasterChef, really, is all about them - it was never about John and I. 'Whoever hosts it next, and I really don't care who it is, the show will be absolutely fine.' Speaking from his sprawling country home in rural Kent, Wallace admits he is worried about his financial future. He adds: 'But, for a long time, I earned a lot of money and I was careful with it. I am not expecting sympathy from anyone but obviously I have a family, and of course I do worry.' He accepts his TV career is over, and has just qualified as a personal trainer helping men over 50 get fit. He charges £50 a week for his 20 clients, giving them a one-hour, face-to-face online session plus a full nutrition and exercise plan. It is a far cry from his reported £400,000-a-year salary on MasterChef. But, he insists, it brings him happiness. Today, the gym is a respite for him. What will my legacy be now? I don't want it to be telly, I want nothing to do with it all Gregg Wallace In 2022 the former greengrocer was awarded an MBE for services to food and charity. But in the wake of the report against him - undertaken by law firm Lewis Silkin with 45 out of 83 allegations upheld - he fears being stripped of the title. He muses: 'What will my legacy be now? I don't want it to be telly, I want nothing to do with it all. I have worried about losing my MBE but there's not a lot I can do about it. But I haven't done anything illegal and hopefully now more and more people will realise that I haven't been exposing myself, and I haven't been groping people either. 'So now I want to start campaigning - raising more awareness of neurodiversity in the workplace. 'I think perceptions may slowly change and all I want is people to ask questions of people whose behaviour they find odd - even people that might look like a football hooligan to you. 'You can't decide which groups of people or which disabilities you will support or won't support in the workplace. You either embrace it all or you don't. 'For example, the BBC should have spotted my autism sooner and sent me off to Occupational Health rather than letting all these complaints to build up against me, with nobody saying anything until the floodgates opened and it all came out. I feel very angry about that.' Wallace is so angry with the BBC that when they asked him repeatedly for an interview he declined. Anger, of course, is something many, many women felt towards Wallace in the wake of his arrogantly foolish comments on Instagram last year in which he said he was accused by 'middle-class women of a certain age'. It is, he acknowledges ruefully, a phrase that will haunt him forever. No, no, no, why did I look like an a**hole? He was asking me to do something, and he got my name wrong. Did I say anywhere that I wouldn't help him? Gregg Wallace After spending two hours with Wallace, it seems evident he is on the spectrum. Frankly, how it took until the age of 60 for him to be diagnosed is baffling. One incident that has unquestionably marked him came in 2012 when a fan tweeted the presenter to ask for help raising awareness of a charity bike ride. Nick Holder posted: 'Hi Greg, I am cycling just over 180 miles in 2 days for Macmillan Cancer Support. Any chance of an RT?' Instead of supporting Nick's endeavours, Gregg, with two Gs, simply responded 'Gregg?' Cuttingly - and quite rightly - Nick replied: 'No worries mate, it's only people with cancer. You worry about your extra G. Mastert**t.' The exchange quickly went viral, with Wallace mercilessly ridiculed. Does he not realise, I ask, that he came across as, well, an utter a**hole? (A question not many people would take well.) Nope, Gregg is still bemused and frustrated by the incident. He asks: 'No, no, no, why did I look like an a**hole? He was asking me to do something, and he got my name wrong. Did I say anywhere that I wouldn't help him? 'So why didn't he just go, 'Oh, OK mate, sorry I got that wrong. Would you help me?' 'And if that would have been the narrative, then fine, but instead he said, 'Oh, don't worry, it's only people dying of cancer, you get your name right, w***er'. Wokeism and cancel culture is terrifying - I just hope no one else ever has to go through anything like this Gregg Wallace 'If only he'd just said, 'Oh, sorry, mate, G-R-E-G-G, could you help me?' Then of course I would have done so, that's what I wanted to do, but people don't know that. I have done so much for charities over the years, I have always done so.' When I ask him if such pedantry is his autism at play, he bizarrely doubles down and insists I would not understand because people have not been spelling my name wrong for years. I point out that, as a 'Clemmie', I spent my childhood years regularly being called 'Clammy', and joyfully, 'Chlamydia'. And that, no, it would not have irked me one iota. He snaps back: 'Congratulations, well done you — you're obviously not autistic.' Had I not spent the morning with the man - and, crucially, his lovely family - I might have been pretty horrified by that. As it is, I realise he genuinely sees things incredibly black and white. Quite literally there is no filter with Wallace. When he feels an injustice, he says it. Certainly you see a different side to the man - who can only go out in a disguise now, so afraid of public perception is he - when you see him interacting with his family. His incredibly loyal Anna has been my rock - we had some really tough conversations when it was all kicking off but I promised her I have never, ever cheated Gregg Wallace Two French bulldogs, Wally and Bella, tear around the house, while his delightful mother-in-law Rina potters around in the kitchen. Indeed, such is his autism, he makes diary reminders in his phone nudging him to be romantic. He says: 'Anna told me once she wanted spontaneous hugs from me so that's what I do now… so the hugs might not be spontaneous for me, but they are for her.' He credits his family for keeping him around. Without them, he admits tearfully, he might have taken his own life during a particularly bleak spell last Christmas. He reflects: 'But then I realised that would be selfish on them, and totally unfair. Anna has been my rock - we had some really tough conversations when it was all kicking off but I promised her I have never, ever cheated. 'She knows I have not looked at another woman since the moment I laid eyes on her. 'But seeing how tough this been on them - my mum, who died earlier this year, called me one day to ask why the Prime Minister was talking about me on telly - has been heartbreaking. 'Wokeism and cancel culture is terrifying - I just hope no one else ever has to go through anything like this.'
Daily Mirror
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Peter Kyle warns racists there's 'nowhere to hide' after Lioness Jess Carter faces vile abuse
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has warned racists they have 'nowhere to hide on the internet' after England player Jess Carter faced a torrent of abuse online during the Euros Peter Kyle has warned racists they have "nowhere to hide on the internet' after England player Jess Carter faced a torrent of abuse online. The Technology Secretary told cowardly perpetrators to 'pipe down' until they're representing their country on the international stage, adding: 'At which point, maybe your voice will be worth a bit more.' He described Carter as a 'national hero' and said he was 'deeply regretful' she had faced sickening messages online. 'I'm deeply regretful she's had to experience this. It's an ugly facet of modern online life that some parts of social media incentivise the worst in people and society, not the best,' he said. Asked for his message to the abusers, Mr Kyle added: 'How about you just pipe down until you're representing England on the international stage? At which point, maybe your voice will be worth a bit more.' Over the weekend, Carter spoke out about the racial abuse she has received during the Lionesses' Euro 2025 campaign. Her teammates rallied around her, saying in a statement: "No one should have to endure such vile abuse." The team also confirmed it would ditch taking the knee before kick-off in their semi-final match against Italy today, as they said it is "clear" football needs another way to tackle racism. The FA confirmed it has contacted the police over the abuse, with officers now in touch with the relevant social media platform. Speaking to The Mirror on Monday, Mr Kyle said racism is illegal online, as it is offline, as race is a protected characteristic under the Equalities Act. But he admitted the Tories watering down the Online Safety Act hadn't helped the situation on the internet. He took aim at now-Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch, who in 2022 warned against 'legislating for hurt feelings' in criticism of the proposed law. But Mr Kyle said police have the power to track down those who are racist online - often to the surprise of abusers when they receive a knock on the door from an officer. He said: 'Race is a protected characteristic under the Equalities Act. Racism is illegal online and offline. 'There is nowhere to hide on the internet. People think there is, but there's not. So if you think that you can keep quiet about your racism in the street but propagate it online, you are wrong and this department and this government expects racism to be tackled whenever and wherever it expresses itself.' He continued: 'Some people think that life online is consequence free and that's what we have to change. Platforms have to do better but there's a lot of human beings who need to do better as they're the ones generating this content." Elsewhere Reform UK Nigel Farage earlier suggested punishment for racism should be weakened. Asked by The Mirror whether racism on social media should be taken seriously, Mr Farage said: "Abuse on social media is rife... you can have my account for a day if you like." He continued: "Of course there's a limit to free speech, people should have their wrist slapped if they behave like that." Meanwhile Reform councillor Laila Cunningham, who joined Mr Farage at a press conference yesterday, said: "Once you're a public figure, once you speak out - whether you're public or not - it just comes with the game sadly. But it's not a crime."
The Independent
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Trans charity demands investigation into EHRC following Supreme Court ruling on gender
A leading trans campaign group has requested an investigation into the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), claiming its conduct in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling on gender has been unlawful, The Independent can reveal. It comes after the Supreme Court ruled that trans women are not legally women under the Equalities Act. TransLucent said they have submitted a formal complaint to the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) – the worldwide membership-based network of national human rights institutions (NHRIs)– claiming that the UK's equalities watchdog is failing to adhere to the Paris Principles. The Paris Principles set out the minimum standards that NHRIs must meet in order to be considered credible and to operate effectively. The key pillars of the Paris Principles are pluralism, independence and effectiveness. TransLucent alleges that public statements made by EHRC commissioners, including chairwoman Baroness Falkner, demonstrate the body has already formed a 'settled view' on the implications of last month's Supreme Court ruling, pre-empting the end of the consultation on the ruling. Baroness Falkner previously described the ruling as a "a victory for common sense'. She has also said: "If a male is allowed to use a women-only service, it isn't any longer a single-sex space." But TransLucent said positions such as this render the consultation 'unfair and unlawful', arguing that public authority consultations 'require an open mind at a formative stage". They have also argued this breaches the principles of independence and pluralism by 'undermining the ability of key stakeholders like TransLucent to provide meaningful views". 'Given the resulting fear and uncertainty within the transgender community, TransLucent urges GANHRI to investigate and ensure the EHRC conducts its consultation with a genuinely open mind', the organisation said. The EHRC last month launched a consultation on the draft updates to its Code of Practice following the Supreme Court's ruling that the term "sex" in the Equality Act refers to biological sex. The consultation is seeking feedback on how the ruling, which clarified that a Gender Recognition Certificate does not change a person's legal sex for Equality Act purposes, impacts the guidance provided in the Code. But Steph Richards, the organisation's director, told The Independent that the trans community has had 'no confidence in the EHRC for several years'. 'Without a single transgender EHRC commissioner, MP or trans peer, we are reliant on allies, international bodies and the courts to make our case for fairness and equality', she said. While gender critical campaigners have hailed the ruling as a victory for biological women, there are concerns it will put trans people at risk and exclude them from public life. Interim guidance published by the equalities watchdog in the wake of the ruling says that trans women 'should not be permitted to use the women's facilities' in workplaces or public-facing services like shops and hospitals. But last month, The Independent r evealed that lawyers acting on behalf of TransLucent sent a letter to the watchdog warning that the guidance 'incorrectly states the legal position' of the court ruling. The letter criticises the body, saying it failed to consult with trans people before publishing its interim guidance, ahead of an ongoing consultation on the issue. Speaking at the Women and Equalities Committee in the Commons earlier this month month, Baroness Falkner defended the EHRC's interim guidance, saying the update was 'necessarily very brief'. 'We had high demand for some kind of explanation, and it was only the headlines that we were highlighting of the Supreme Court judgement', she said. 'When you have a synopsis of something, it can never spell out all the nuance… I would tell people to judge us by what the final consultation document is, because that will be the more definitive word on what we have found and will be the result of a conversation with, in fact, groups like TransActual. 'We are listening to them. We have scheduled meetings with those groups, and we are listening to what they are telling us about their experience on the ground. We will, of course, take that in mind.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Brent Council's twinning with Neblus 'may risk compounding antisemitism' according to its own report
When Peter Davies ran for the office of Mayor of Doncaster in 2009, he made two notable pledges to his electorate. To slash his own salary by over 50 per cent to £30,000, along with getting rid of the mayoral chauffeur-driven car, and to put an end to the practice of twinning foreign cities to Doncaster (there were five). The first pledge was easy to fulfil. But the second required Council approval and the process – according to Mr Davies in an interview to the Guardian – 'was like wading through treacle', taking six whole months. Rumour has it that when the mayor of one of the twinned cities wrote to Mr Davies following his election, the letter ended up in the bin, unread. The new Mayor of Doncaster had done away with all the translation services offered by the Council and so nobody in his office could read the foreign note. The point Mr Davies was trying to make sixteen years ago is more pertinent than ever today: the function of local politicians and council officials is to respond to local community needs. Anything else is a distraction, taking time and precious resources away from mundane but crucial functions of rubbish collection and road maintenance to instead serve the ego of politicians struggling to come to terms with the fact that they've ended up at town halls rather than the UN General Assembly. Take Brent City Council for example. Last Wednesday, the Labour-led Council in North London voted to be twinned with Nablus, a Palestinian city. Council Leader Muhammad Butt declared, [t]his is all about making sure the diversity of Brent and its community is being recognised.' Concerns were registered by Conservative councillors who voted against the partnership, claiming that the decision to twin with Nablus could be seen as 'appeasing a terrorist organisation' as the city in West Bank is reportedly governed by a council 'the majority of which, including the Mayor, are members of Hamas', a proscribed terrorist group. Labour councillors refused to engage with what they dismissed as 'lies, misinformation and fear-mongering' as they extolled the virtues of the partnership of the two cities based on their 'shared values'. 'We will build real partnerships here and in Nablus, working to face shared challenges', said Labour Councillor Ihtesham Afzal, who originally tabled the motion last year. Council Leader Muhammad Butt declared, '[the twinning] is all about making sure the diversity of Brent and its community is being recognised.' Except the Council's own equalities impact assessment – a mandatory exercise under the Equalities Act – found that given the polarising impact the Israel-Hamas war has had on communities, 'there may be some anxiety from some groups that the Twinning may demonstrate greater support for one group over another'. The assessment goes so far as to say that '[t]he Twinning may, at the very least, cause emotional harm to some groups in Brent' – presumably referring to its 3,700-strong Jewish community – and that it 'may risk compounding antisemitism'. But then, rather astonishingly, the assessment concludes that 'equally, rejecting the Twinning may be viewed as Islamophobic'. And just like that, the Council appears to have devised a definition of Islamophobia which includes a local authority's rejection of a motion to twin with a foreign city with a majority Muslim population, conferring not just upon itself but on every local authority across the country a duty to accept any such motion or risk being accused of discriminating against Muslims. This perfectly highlights the concerns of those who are troubled by councils indulging in foreign policy debates at taxpayers' expense. Harry Phibbs, the Local Government Editor of Conservative Home and a former councillor, warns against the 'skewing' of councils' time and resources to suit a political agenda. 'Councillors and council executives – who are required to sit through these meetings – are paid significant amounts', he tells me. Indeed, the average pay of senior managerial staff at Brent Council was £105,197 over 2023-24, with at least twenty employees being paid £105,189 to £180,792, and the Chief Executive earning £229,061. Councillor Butt received £55,624.60 in allowances over the 2024-25 period. During this same period, the Council has raised taxes while also cutting services, as if to illustrate Mr Phibbs' final point, 'if you start to indulge in these foreign policy debates, it distracts from providing the services in the most efficient way'. Nearly two decades since Peter Davies hit the headlines for his stance against a wasteful council indulging in foreign policy at taxpayers' expense, little appears to have changed. If anything, councils have become more brazen about engaging in highly contentious policy matters, completely outside their competence, which could nevertheless leave communities in their care feeling anxious and vulnerable. Please share share examples of public spending in your personal and professional lives which you consider to be a waste of taxpayers' money. You can email us your stories – either in writing or as voice notes – at wastewatch@ Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
The Independent
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Equalities watchdog threatened with legal action after saying trans women must use men's toilets
The equalities watchdog has been threatened with legal action after saying trans women must use men's toilets, The Independent can reveal. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)'s was published in the wake of last month's Supreme Court ruling on gender, which ruled trans women are not legally women under the Equalities Act. The guidance states that trans women 'should not be permitted to use the women's facilities' in workplaces or public-facing services such as shops and hospitals. But lawyers acting on behalf of leading UK trans rights group TransLucent have now sent a letter to the watchdog warning that the guidance 'incorrectly states the legal position' of the court ruling. The letter, seen by The Independent, criticises the body, saying it failed to consult with trans people before publishing its interim guidance, ahead of an ongoing consultation on the issue. It demands the EHRC issue a clarification statement and criticised the commission's chair Baroness Falkner's description of the ruling as a "a victory for common sense' and another which stated: "If a male is allowed to use a women-only service, it isn't any longer a single-sex space." The campaigners argue the remarks have caused 'immense distress to the trans community and confusion to both service providers and employers'. Meanwhile, lawyers Leigh Day warned: 'The worry for our client is that there has not yet been any consultation with trans communities and other affected groups, and the statements from the chair and commissioner that followed the publication of the update, particularly in relation to provision of single sex spaces, suggest that their minds are closed to any other outcome.' The letter adds: 'If those are their personal views, then, while still unsatisfactory, they should have made that very clear. In any event, it is incumbent on the EHRC to provide urgent clarity so as not to undermine the fairness of the forthcoming consultation.' It urges the EHRC to respond by May 19 and confirm whether it plans to issue clarification. Steph Richards, CEO of TransLucent, warned that the watchdog 'appears to have ignored the fact that trans people are still protected under the Equality Act and, as such, can only be legally discriminated against in circumstances when it is a 'proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim'.' It comes amid mounting concern over the impact of the EHRC's guidance, with Labour MP Nadia Whittome telling The Independent it was a 'devastating blow for trans people and their rights'. 'This guidance is not statutory but it indicates what the draft statutory guidance is likely to contain. It is essential that the government rejects it', the MP for Nottingham East said. 'The Equality and Human Rights Commission should be safeguarding trans people's rights at a time when they are being threatened. Sadly, this vital institution has fallen victim to successful attempts by the previous Conservative government to co-opt it in line with its agenda, undermining its independence and neutrality.' Meanwhile, Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party, said the interim guidance was 'rushed and ill-thought-through, and was clearly drawn up without consulting trans people on their experiences and needs'. 'I'm worried that the guidance could act as a bigot's charter, emboldening people to harass and victimise trans people in public places, and the Green Party has called for it to be withdrawn until something more considered can be produced.' jane fae, director of fellow trans rights group TransActual, told The Independent the organisation is also 'watching very carefully and are ready to take legal action should it be necessary'. 'We welcome this analysis from TransLucent. It is very clear that in her intemperate rush to self publicity, the head of the EHRC Baroness Falkner did not take the time to consult with groups affected and as a result she has caused alarm, distress and further encouraged vigilantism against trans people. 'We echo TransLucent's conclusion that her stance is very concerning and would question whether she is a fit person to be in charge of the equalities commission', she said. The letter was sent to the EHRC on Monday, The Independent understands. A UK government spokesperson said: 'The EHRC is an independent regulator, and we will review their Code of Practice and work with them to ensure it provides the certainty and clarity service providers and businesses need, in line with the Supreme Court ruling.'
