10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Gregg Wallace 'has an inability to wear underwear' friends claim, as he's sacked from BBC
Gregg Wallace 'has an inability to wear underwear' friends claim, as he's sacked from BBC
The BBC claim that 50 more people have come forward with fresh allegations against former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace - among them is a claim of groping, which he denies
Gregg Wallace has been sacked from BBC's MasterCher
Friends of Gregg Wallace have suggested that his autism may have contributed to the behaviour at the centre of the allegations, that ultimately led to his dismissal from the BBC's MasterChef after 21 years.
It is claimed another effect of his autism is an exaggerated sensory experience, which means he has an 'inability to wear underwear because of his autistic hypersensitivity to labels and tight clothing'.
The BBC presenter took a break away from his on-screen duties back in November, following complaints by 13 individuals alleging inappropriate sexual remarks spread over 17 years.
New claims have since emerged, with at least 50 people accusing him of uncomfortable encounters across various shows and locations, according to BBC News.
Reports include a MasterChef employee alleging she was groped by Gregg, which left her "absolutely horrified".
Gregg Wallace apologised for using inappropriate language, but denied the more serious claims
(Image: BBC )
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An additional account claims that he exposed himself by pulling down his trousers in a dressing room, an act the unnamed person described as "disgusting and predatory".
Gregg has vehemently refuted these claims. According to friends of the former BBC star, he withdrew from socialising with the team and "stopped telling jokes" as he "didn't know what was right and what crossed the line".
"Gregg is guilty of bad jokes and rough humour," a source previously said. "But so many people on the show talked openly about suspecting that he had autism for years before he got his diagnosis.
"To sack him now when they were well aware of his condition is outrageous. He's going to take them to the cleaners."
The fresh allegations have emerged just days before the result of a report on separate claims made last year. MasterChef's production company Banijay commissioned an investigation into Gregg, which was overlooked by legal firm Lewis Silkin.
Gregg Wallace has stepped away from MasterChef and Inside the Factory
(Image: BBC )
The former greengrocer has apologised for "using inappropriate language" in a statement, though says he has been cleared of "the most serious and sensational accusations made against me".
In the lengthy post on his page, Gregg also claimed his employers did not investigate his disability, stating: "My neurodiversity, now formally diagnosed as autism, was suspected and discussed by colleagues across countless seasons of MasterChef.
"Yet nothing was done to investigate my disability or protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment for over twenty years. That failure is now being quietly buried."
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He concluded "I was tried by media and hung out to dry well before the facts were established. The full story of this incredible injustice must be told and it is very much a matter of public interest."
Efforts have been made to reach out to Gregg Wallace's representatives for a statement.
