Latest news with #MasterChef
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
I'm A Celeb star to 'permanently replace Gregg Wallace on MasterChef'
Food critic Grace Dent, 51, is said to be replacing Gregg Wallace, 60, on MasterChef UK after the TV host was sacked from the BBC show by its production company Banijay I'm a Celebrity star Grace Dent is said to be replacing Gregg Wallace on MasterChef UK. A source has claimed the food critic, 51, will appear on the show alongside John Torode, 59, with filming set to begin at the end of summer. The claims emerged days after Gregg, 60, shared a statement warning he would "not go quietly" after he was sacked from the BBC show by its production company Banijay as 50 more people came forward to make allegations of misconduct, which he strongly denies. According to the insider, Grace, who replaced Gregg on Celebrity MasterChef earlier this year, is "a natural fit" for the show. The source added that Grace "loves to support up-and-coming talent in the industry and loves the format of the show." READ MORE: John Torode breaks social media silence after Gregg Wallace sacking and BBC ban They told The Sun: "Filming is expected to start at the end of the summer through December. They are also filming at new studios in Birmingham, so it will be a fresh start all round." When it was confirmed in December last year that Grace, who starred on I'm a Celebrity in 2023 but left on medical grounds after nine days, was stepping in for Celebrity MasterChef, she said: "I've been watching MasterChef since I was a girl sitting with my dad on the sofa. "My whole family watches it. It's all about uncovering and championing talent, and to have ended up in this position is more than a dream to me. I'm so excited that I can't eat, which is severely detrimental to a restaurant critic. "I feel very lucky to be stepping in for the next Celebrity MasterChef. I can't wait to meet the fresh celebrity faces for 2025." Jon added of her colleague: "I have loved working with Grace on MasterChef over the years. She has been an excellent guest, an inspiring critic and also set some incredible challenges." The news emerged just days after Gregg issued a furious statement on social media, claiming that the Silkin's Report into his alleged misconduct"exonerates him of all the serious allegations which made headlines last year." In a lengthy post shared on social media, he wrote: "I've taken the decision to speak out ahead of the publication of the Silkins report - a decision I do not take lightly. But after 21 years of loyal service to the BBC, I cannot sit in silence while my reputation is further damaged to protect others. "I have now been cleared by the Silkins report of the most serious and sensational accusations made against me. The most damaging claims (including allegations from public figures which have not been upheld) were found to be baseless after a full and forensic six-month investigation." He added: "My decision to go public now is also driven by the fact the BBC News division are intending to platform legally unsafe accusations, including claims which have already been investigated and not upheld by the BBC and found not credible by Silkins. The BBC is no longer providing balanced and impartial public service journalism. "It is peddling baseless and sensationalised gossip masquerading as properly corroborated stories. The BBC is choosing to allow BBC News to run with this uncorroborated tittle tattle in an attempt to 'get ahead' of the Silkin's summary report and derail what has been an extremely thorough process." A BBC spokesperson said: "Banijay UK instructed the law firm Lewis Silkin to run an investigation into allegations against Gregg Wallace. We are not going to comment until the investigation is complete and the findings are published." The Mirror has reached out to MasterChef and Grace Dent's representatives for comment.
The Sun
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I've spoken about autism with Gregg Wallace & he never mentioned diagnosis… it's a disgrace he's using it as an excuse
IF you're caught with your trousers down, just like Gregg Wallace has been, you need to come up with an excuse to get out of trouble fast, don't you? The troubled MasterChef presenter has done just that by revealing he's been diagnosed with autism and this 'neurodiversity' was even 'suspected and discussed across countless seasons of MasterChef'. 7 7 I don't doubt his formal diagnosis. But I'd be surprised if he openly discussed how it may be affecting his behaviour because I chatted, at length, with Gregg about autism before this scandal ever broke and he never, ever, mentioned it. I visited his home in 2021 to talk about his wellness brand. We got on well, he was welcoming and there was plenty of banter. Yes, he was overly chatty with some bizarre jokes which made it difficult to get a word in edgeways at times, but I liked him. He was the cheeky chappy we've all seen on screen for years. I met his family, including his delightful little boy Sid. And after the interview ended Gregg and I wandered around his glorious garden chatting while I had another coffee. Sid and my son are the same age. Gregg and I shared our fears as parents, the difficulties of managing a work-life balance and how, having both had kids a little later, neither of us were the youngest parents at the school gates. Gregg was trying to get a formal diagnosis of autism for non-verbal Sid at the time and went into the struggles that he had been through and his fears for the boy's future. 'Devastated' Gregg Wallace FIRED by BBC over MasterChef sexual comments We discussed how autism appeared to be on the increase now and how there hadn't been nearly as many diagnoses when we were growing up. But — although it is often genetic — Gregg never once shared the fact he believed he had the condition too, or that his neurodiversity was such a major issue for him that it had affected his work or been discussed with TV producers during those countless seasons of MasterChef. You could argue that why on Earth should he share any of that? It is a private matter, especially to a journalist. Looking back, though, given the depth of our chat, it does leave me questioning whether autism was having the significant impact on his work life he now claims. He never mentioned it in his autobiography either or when he and his wife bravely and openly discussed little Sid's diagnosis. So I find it odd that he has wheeled his diagnosis out now — just as his career hits the skids — as though it is some kind of loophole. I fear that as well as autism he is suffering from a bad case of old- fashioned sexism and a dreadful dose of 'it-wasn't-me' blame-shifting. T-shirt pulled so tight The allegations against him include inappropriate sexual comments, touching and groping, all of which he denies. He allegedly dropped his trousers in front of a junior worker to reveal he wasn't wearing underwear. According to one of his mates, the lack of Calvin Kleins is because he has autistic 'hypersensitivity to labels and tight clothing'. Autism is a common condition now. More than one in 100 people have it but don't feel the need to expose themselves to young work colleagues. And that hypersensitivity didn't seem to have kicked in when he was promoting his wellness brand because he wore a T-shirt pulled so tight across his chest and arms that you could, if you'd looked for it, seen the offending inside labels bulging from the outside too. Gregg even wants to blame bosses for failing to 'investigate my disability'. It seems ridiculous that Gregg — who must be a smart man to make it to the top as a prime-time TV presenter — expects to pass the responsibility for HIS health on to his bosses. And now, because the BBC has ditched him (saying they doubt he could change his questionable behaviour), those close to Gregg say the Beeb are using his autism against him. But the only one using autism for anything, Gregg, is you. And wheeling it out as an excuse and so publicly shouting about it now, at a time when you should be taking responsibility for your actions and apologising to those you've hurt, really is disgraceful. A disability can never be used as an excuse for behaviour like this — it is doing a disservice to every other person with autism by claiming it can. BE MORE LIKE JEN? IT'S A BIT OF A STRETCH SEEING Jennifer Aniston posing in a swimsuit for her fitness brand Pvolve is a thing of wonder. I am utterly jealous. Flat stomach, toned arms with zero bingo wings and a good, solid decent thigh gap. There is not a wrinkle or a sag in sight. No grey hairs, no eye bags. Utter perfection. And she is an age-defying 56. Yay, great and all that, let's all rejoice about 50 being the new 30. But back in reality . . . let's remember if we spent all day in the gym, could afford endless tweakments, had a stylist and an airbrushing expert at our disposal we too could look (a bit) like that. And if all else fails, try this mantra ladies . . . it's what's on the inside that counts. BAG SO PLAIN, JANE WE all know that the original Birkin bag, sold for £7.4million this week, is the ultimate It bag. 7 Replicas have become the ultimate arm candy. The original has spawned thousands and thousands of dupes. Now actress and style icon Jane Birkin's original bag is winging its way to Japan after being bought by a private collector. But I actually wouldn't want it. The leather is faded and scuffed, with residue from stickers on it, and there is even a pair of nail clippers inside because Jane liked to clip her nails. Yuk. Without the famous name attached, you'd struggle to even sell a bag like that on Vinted. I'll stick to my 'replica'. WE'VE had hot girl summer and brat summer, now it's the boys' turn. According to M&S we are in the middle of 'thigh guy summer', with fellas proudly donning micro shorts as Britain swelters. The fashion fad is being led by Normal People star Paul Mescal, who insists: 'I'm a big advocate for men wearing shorter shorts.' While I'd have a fit if the (middle-aged!) Geordie started wearing a pair of thigh grazers to do the weekly shop in Tesco, I can't see any harm in the trend. Bring it on. If the blokes doing it are young and fit enough to pull it off then I say go for it. The thigh's the limit. IT CAN'T WEIGHT I GET the sentiments of WeightWatchers, which has emerged from bankruptcy and has blasted quick-fix fat jabs, saying it is 'the most trusted, science-backed platform, proven to drive better results and lasting impact'. But the problem is when you've got that holiday coming up and have a 14-day battle to squeeze into last year's holiday gear the last thing on your mind is a lasting impact . . . it's a quick impact. DO LEAF IT OUT, PLEASE PRET A Manger has released a brand new salad range with some costing £12.95. Yes, £12.95. Sales of Pret salads have grown at three times the rate of their sarnies, and these credit card-abusing versions include black bean mole, quinoa and pomegranate seeds, Japanese style togarashi spiced seeds and 'hand-massaged' kale. I have no idea what half of that lot truly is but it sounds v. v. posh. Customers are kicking off about the price. I don't blame them. You wouldn't find me paying for that – or many other northern- ers too, it would seem. When I enquired about these new salads in the Newcastle Pret, I was told they didn't have them, probably wouldn't ever get them and were already struggling to flog the fancy £6 sarnies they had on display. Not because us northerners are tight – we just have common sense and know when we are being had. BIT TOO SALTY AMID all The Salt Path scandal I do feel sorry for poor Gillian Anderson. 7 7 Before I found out the original book – about the trek around the South West coast by Raynor and Moth Winn – was all a bit of a con story I had zero interest in watching the film. I thought it sounded quite dull, even with Gillian and Jason Isaccs in the starring roles. Now I want to see what the web of lies truly entails. And I won't be the only one. It may become one of Gillian's best-known films . . . for all the wrong reasons.
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Let Gregg Wallace be a lesson to TV execs – no more free passes for entitled ‘Talent'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) I'VE always had a problem with being called The Talent. Sometimes it's said with a cheeky wink, other times muttered behind a clipboard. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 2 Gregg Wallace, who has been sacked from MasterChef following a probe into inappropriate behaviour Credit: Getty 2 Columnist Zara Janjua takes issue with being called 'The Talent' Credit: The Sun Either way, it sticks in your throat like overcooked linguine. It's the kind of label that reinforces a hierarchy where charm can curdle into entitlement, and where bad behaviour is whisked into the mix under the guise of personality. Which brings us to Gregg Wallace – the former MasterChef presenter who has been sacked from the show following a nine-month investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour. This week, he broke his silence with an Instagram statement declaring: 'I will not go quietly.' Wallace has been cleared of the most serious allegations – many of which, he claims, were made by 'middle-class women of a certain age'. But the report, commissioned by Banijay UK and led by law firm Lewis Silkin, found him guilty of 'inappropriate language' between 2005 and 2018. It came just hours before 50 more people came forward to the BBC with further claims – ranging from verbal harassment to groping and dropping his trousers. Wallace's response reads like it was prepped under pressure: part sympathy soufflé, part counterattack casserole. He insists he was hired as the 'cheeky greengrocer' – a man of warmth, rough edges and ripe innuendo. And now? He's just a man whose flavour has apparently gone out of fashion. I've worked with men like him. Men who test the temperature of a room by how far they can push a joke. Who repeat sexual remarks until they become part of the recipe. I once walked into a room with two young work experience women and heard the male presenter say, 'Two out of the three of you would get it'. What's REALLY going on backstage at Oasis & Gregg Wallace scandal sparks ANOTHER BBC crisis That's not banter, it's a power play – and it's exhausting. Wallace insists he's a victim of a 'sanitised world'. But let's be clear: what's really boiling over here is not political correctness – it's accountability. Saying 'I was just being myself' isn't a defence when yourself makes others feel unsafe or objectified. He also raises his recent autism diagnosis – a detail that deserves compassion but not carte blanche. Autism can explain difficulty with social cues, but it doesn't strip away basic respect. Neurodivergence is not a free pass to harass. And using it that way risks further marginalising those who live with it daily without ever crossing lines. Yes, it's deeply sad that Wallace has struggled with his mental health – he's said he contemplated suicide and was recently hospitalised. That matters. WE'VE BEEN LOST IN TRNS-IT ONCE upon a midge-bitten time, Scotland's musical mecca meant tents in a field of Buckfast, three-day hangovers, and waking up to someone urinating on your pop-up dome. But since 2017, TRNSMT has rewritten the rulebook – no camping, no cows, and increasingly, no diversity of thought. What began as the heir to T in the Park now resembles a Love Island reunion with better wristbands. Axed from this year's line-up was controversial Irish rap trio Kneecap, above, after concerns were raised by police – and the First Minister. John Swinney declared their appearance 'unacceptable', prompting the band to sell out Glasgow's O2 Academy instead. From the stage, Mo Chara rallied the crowd: 'They stopped us playing TRNSMT, but they can't stop us playing Glasgow.' If politics has no place in music, where exactly should it go? Let's not forget: Glastonbury was founded to support nuclear disarmament. And T in the Park was all about diversity and discovery. Yes, today's festivalgoers may be more Coachella-core than counterculture. Maybe the mainstream never had an appetite for the alternative. But I suspect most TRNSMT punters this weekend will be more concerned with Factor 50 and 50 Cent than any existential crisis. The loudest protest you're likely to hear is someone refusing to pay £10 for a toastie and £7 for a pint. But what now? Well, Baroness Helena Kennedy – who chairs a watchdog on behaviour in the creative industries – has warned Wallace not to discredit women's testimonies. She's right. For too long, TV has been a pressure cooker of silence, where junior staff are told to laugh along, to be good sports, to play the game. We need safer routes to speak out, better training, clearer consequences – and fewer fawning apologies after the cameras stop rolling. Because when you call someone The Talent, you elevate them above criticism. You wrap them in a mystique that allows misconduct to simmer unchecked. And then, when the heat finally rises, everyone acts surprised that it boiled over. It's time we binned the label altogether. No more pedestals. No more passes. And no more hierarchies. And let's stop ignoring the stuff that's festering at the back of the fridge, before it turns to rot.
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I'm A Celebrity star set to be announced as Gregg Wallace's permanent MasterChef replacement
GRACE Dent is set to be announced as the replacement for Gregg Wallace on MasterChef UK, The Sun on Sunday can reveal. The food critic, 51, is understood to start filming for MasterChef UK alongside chef John Torode, 59, at the end of the summer . 5 Grace Dent is set to be announced as Gregg Wallace's replacement Credit: Instagram 5 Gregg has been axed from the show following an investigation into his behaviour Credit: BBC 5 Grace has already appeared as a judge on the show Credit: PA A source said: ' Celebrity MasterChef alongside John. 'Grace loves to support up-and-coming talent in the industry and loves the format of the show. 'Filming is expected to start at the end of the summer through December. 'They are also filming at new studios in Birmingham so it will be a fresh start all round.' Read More on MasterChef It comes after The Sun revealed The report concludes that Wallace, who was diagnosed as autistic midway through the investigation into complaints against him, is unable to change his ways. In December last year The Sun on Sunday revealed that Grace was set to replace Wallace on Celebrity MasterChef. Grace said: "I've been watching MasterChef since I was a girl sitting with my dad on the sofa. Most read in Reality "My whole family watches it. It's all about uncovering and championing talent and to have ended up in this position, is more than a dream to me. 'Devastated' Gregg Wallace FIRED by BBC over MasterChef sexual comments 'I'm so excited that I can't eat, which is severely detrimental to a restaurant critic. 'I feel very lucky to be stepping in for the next Celebrity MasterChef. I can't wait to meet the fresh celebrity faces for 2025.' John added: 'I have loved working with Grace on MasterChef over the years. 'She has been an excellent guest, an inspiring critic and also set some incredible challenges. 'Expertise is what MasterChef is all about, from the contestants to our wonderful production team, to us as judges. 'The love of food, the love of MasterChef, and that unquestionable expertise, makes Grace the perfect person to step in alongside me as judge for the forthcoming Celebrity MasterChef series.' Alongside her successful journalism career as food critic Grace has been doing more mainstream TV, and starred on I'm A Celeb in 2023. She walked from the jungle after nine days, citing 'medical grounds.' 5 Grace appeared in I'm A Celebrity in 2023 - but pulled out after nine days Credit: ITV 5 Gregg will no longer be working for the BBC Credit: BBC Gregg Wallace - MasterChef scandal in Brief GREGG Wallace has stepped down from his MasterChef hosting role after a probe into alleged inappropriate behaviour. But what's the situation? Regular MasterChef host Gregg Wallace is currently the subject of a probe after an investigation was launched into his Gregg has been accused of making The 60-year-old has now stepped away from the BBC show while historical misconduct allegations against him are investigated. Yet the former greengrocer The cooking show's production company, Banijay UK, has said law firm Lewis Silkin would lead the investigation into Wallace's alleged misconduct.
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I'm A Celebrity star set to be announced as Gregg Wallace's permanent MasterChef replacement
See what they have said about being part of the show in the past hot seat I'm A Celebrity star set to be announced as Gregg Wallace's permanent MasterChef replacement Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GRACE Dent is set to be announced as the replacement for Gregg Wallace on MasterChef UK, The Sun on Sunday can reveal. The food critic, 51, is understood to start filming for MasterChef UK alongside chef John Torode, 59, at the end of the summer. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Grace Dent is set to be announced as Gregg Wallace's replacement Credit: Instagram 5 Gregg has been axed from the show following an investigation into his behaviour Credit: BBC 5 Grace has already appeared as a judge on the show Credit: PA A source said: 'Grace is a natural fit for the show as she is also hosting Celebrity MasterChef alongside John. 'Grace loves to support up-and-coming talent in the industry and loves the format of the show. 'Filming is expected to start at the end of the summer through December. 'They are also filming at new studios in Birmingham so it will be a fresh start all round.' It comes after The Sun revealed earlier this week that Wallace was formally sacked by the BBC - citing 'learned behaviour' as the reason for his axing. The report concludes that Wallace, who was diagnosed as autistic midway through the investigation into complaints against him, is unable to change his ways. In December last year The Sun on Sunday revealed that Grace was set to replace Wallace on Celebrity MasterChef. Grace said: "I've been watching MasterChef since I was a girl sitting with my dad on the sofa. "My whole family watches it. It's all about uncovering and championing talent and to have ended up in this position, is more than a dream to me. 'Devastated' Gregg Wallace FIRED by BBC over MasterChef sexual comments 'I'm so excited that I can't eat, which is severely detrimental to a restaurant critic. 'I feel very lucky to be stepping in for the next Celebrity MasterChef. I can't wait to meet the fresh celebrity faces for 2025.' John added: 'I have loved working with Grace on MasterChef over the years. 'She has been an excellent guest, an inspiring critic and also set some incredible challenges. 'Expertise is what MasterChef is all about, from the contestants to our wonderful production team, to us as judges. 'The love of food, the love of MasterChef, and that unquestionable expertise, makes Grace the perfect person to step in alongside me as judge for the forthcoming Celebrity MasterChef series.' Alongside her successful journalism career as food critic Grace has been doing more mainstream TV, and starred on I'm A Celeb in 2023. She walked from the jungle after nine days, citing 'medical grounds.' 5 Grace appeared in I'm A Celebrity in 2023 - but pulled out after nine days Credit: ITV 5 Gregg will no longer be working for the BBC Credit: BBC
