Latest news with #workplaceconduct
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Gregg Wallace 'was warned by the BBC six years ago that he would be sacked if he continued to behave inappropriately'
Gregg Wallace was warned six years ago by the BBC that he would be sacked if he continued to behave inappropriately, it was reported last night. A BBC executive wrote to the MasterChef presenter, 60, in 2019 following complaints and he was told the corporation would cut ties with him if it learnt of further allegations, it was claimed. But upon hearing further claims about Wallace's inappropriate behaviour, the BBC did not follow through, The Daily Telegraph reported. It emerged this week that Wallace has been banned from working at the BBC after executives decided they were not confident that he could change his behaviour. But in 2019 Kate Phillips – then director of unscripted television and now chief content officer – issued an official warning to Wallace about his behaviour. 'The BBC will not tolerate behaviour to occur on any productions that is inappropriate, unprofessional and/or has the effect on individuals to feel sexually harassed,' she wrote. 'It would be regrettable and disappointing to learn of any further incidents. In such circumstances the BBC would need to seriously consider its future working relationship with you.' An independent report by Lewis Silkins, which was commissioned by MasterChef producers Banijay in November after initial allegations against Wallace, is yet to be published. Wallace insists he has been cleared of the most serious allegations of groping but it is understood he was found to have made repeated inappropriate comments. He came out earlier this week to defend himself and recognised 'that some of my humour and language, at times, was inappropriate' for which he apologised for 'without reservation'. The dismissal letter from the BBC, first obtained by The Telegraph, noted 'you were a presenter on a flagship BBC show' and 'the impact that your comments had on the BBC's reputation'. The letter, from Claire Powell, head of compliance for BBC Television, adds: 'I have also taken into account whether your behaviour could be improved with training and/or coaching. 'However, I do not have the confidence that you can change what seems to be learned behaviour for you to make what you perceive to be jokes in the working environment. 'I also have to consider the fact that various people in the BBC have spoken to you about your behaviour over the course of your career, and that you also received training/coaching in 2019.'
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
BBC Dropped Gregg Wallace Due To Lack Of 'Confidence' He Could Change Behaviour
Higher-ups at the BBC were not 'confident' that the former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace could 'change what seems to be learned behaviour', resulting in his exit from the broadcaster, it has been reported. Earlier this week, it was revealed that Gregg had been dropped as the host of MasterChef after 20 years at the helm, following an external investigation into complaints made to the BBC about his past conduct. On Thursday evening, The Telegraph published details of a letter addressed to the TV personality from BBC Television's head of compliance, in which it was deemed that he 'struggled to distinguish the boundaries between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour in the workplace', and lacked 'awareness' of why his 'behaviour impacts others'. It was also claimed that he had been given relevant training on these matters as recently as 2019. Excerpts of the letter published in The Telegraph state: 'I do not have confidence that your behaviour can change to ensure there is a sufficiently safe and respectful environment for others working with you in the types of programmes the BBC has engaged you to present.' 'Given my conclusion, I do not believe that the BBC should make plans to work with you in the future on any of its productions, whether directly or indirectly,' the letter also said. In a statement shared on Instagram earlier this week, Gregg hit out at the BBC, saying: 'To be clear, [the external investigation] exonerates me of all the serious allegations which made headlines last year and finds me primarily guilty of inappropriate language between 2005 and 2018. 'I recognise that some of my humour and language, at times, was inappropriate. For that, I apologise without reservation. But I was never the caricature now being sold for clicks. I was hired by the BBC and MasterChef as the cheeky greengrocer. A real person with warmth, character, rough edges and all. For over two decades, that authenticity was part of the brand. Now, in a sanitised world, that same personality is seen as a problem.' He also disclosed that he had recently been diagnosed with autism, something he alleged 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,' he added. 'That failure is now being quietly buried.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gregg Wallace MBE (@greggawallace) The BBC's letter made note of Gregg's recent diagnosis, saying: 'I have noted that you do not consider certain environments to now be 'safe' for you. 'In addition to the duty of care towards you, the BBC equally to take into account the safety and duty of care owed towards contributors, members of the public and colleagues on production teams that you may engage with and the appropriate use of licence fee payers' money in establishing a safe working environment for all.' Gregg announced he would be taking a leave of absence from MasterChef and its various spin-offs towards the end of last year while the investigation got underway. A series of MasterChef was reportedly filmed last year with Gregg in his usual role right up until the finale (per The Guardian). The upcoming series of Celebrity MasterChef was recorded after Gregg's absence, with Grace Dent co-hosting with John Torode. Gregg Wallace Is Fired From MasterChef – Here's The Full Story Of His Controversial Exit So Far MasterChef Star John Torode Breaks Silence On Gregg Wallace Allegations Gregg Wallace Apologises After Comments About His Accusers Spark Widespread Backlash
Times
05-07-2025
- Business
- Times
Telling colleague to ‘shut up' could break the law, tribunal rules
Telling a colleague to 'shut up' in front of others at work could break employment laws, an employment tribunal has ruled. Despite a claim that the phrase is 'common parlance', a judge ruled that using it would 'undermine' whoever it is directed at. The conclusion came in the case of a company director who successfully sued after his boss tried to silence him during an online meeting. David Ashe won almost £15,000 in compensation after complaining about the 'unacceptable' behaviour of his managing director, Roger Topping, in telling him to shut up. Supporting his claim of constructive unfair dismissal, Judge Lucy Wiseman said: 'The tribunal was satisfied that Mr Topping did not have reasonable and proper cause to tell a fellow director to shut up during a staff meeting and in front of other, more junior, staff. 'We say that because such conduct would undermine [Mr Ashe] in front of those staff.' The tribunal in Glasgow was told that Ashe worked as a director of operations at Claims Equilibrium Club, an insurance claims assistance service for insurance brokers and their clients, from April 2022. Topping had headhunted him as a partner and successor to run the business, the hearing was told. He had employed Ashe on the basis that he would 'sell 50 per cent of the equity in the business to [Ashe] within five years for a set sum', the tribunal was told. However, cracks in the relationship between the two developed over Ashe's first year as a director. One of the problems was that he felt he wasn't being given enough work, while Topping thought he wasn't finding enough work. In June last year the two had a meeting in which Topping said he 'could not see the current relationship improving and therefore there was no prospect of the originally planned partnership of 50/50 working'. He offered to sell Ashe the entire company but Ashe did not want to do this. The day after this meeting, Ashe emailed Topping telling him that he disagreed that he was the cause of the unresolved issues between the two of them. The tribunal was told: '[Ashe] also made reference to the fortnightly staff meetings, held on Teams, where Mr Topping had shouted at him to shut up which was unacceptable.' He added that he 'felt that it had [not been] appropriate for Mr Topping to shout at him during team meetings'. • WhatsApp work 'banter' not private, tribunal rules Ashe raised a grievance with Topping, who consulted an HR specialist. In a meeting with this specialist the same month, the tribunal was told: 'Mr Topping did not deny telling [Mr Ashe] to shut up during a staff meeting on Teams, but this had arisen because [Mr Ashe] was continually interrupting others and not allowing them to speak.' The HR specialist partially upheld Ashe's grievance, finding that Topping had displayed 'general hostility' in telling him to shut up. Ashe went on sick leave after this, and resigned in September. He said Topping had 'taken no proactive steps to resolve matters with him' despite parts of his grievance being upheld, and he had been left with 'no option but to resign in response to the breach of contract'. Topping told the tribunal that it was Ashe who had broken the contract by not being a good employee. 'Mr Topping considered the allegations of bullying were unproven and false,' the tribunal was told. 'He acknowledged that perhaps he had said shut up but there had been no malice in this and it was simply common parlance.' • Boss who said he could not live on £250,000 loses tribunal claim The judge disagreed. Ruling in Ashe's favour, she said of the managing director's behaviour: '[We] considered whether the employer's conduct as a whole was such that its effect, judged reasonably and sensibly, was such that the employee cannot be expected to put up with it. 'The tribunal was satisfied that Mr Topping's conduct was such that, judged reasonably and sensibly, [Mr Ashe] could not be expected to put up with it. 'The tribunal reached that conclusion because of the cumulative effect of … the withdrawal of the share purchase opportunity; the breakdown in the relationship … and Mr Topping undermining the claimant in front of other staff by telling him to shut up during a staff meeting.' This incident was considered, alongside Topping's other actions, to be a 'breach of the implied term of trust and confidence' and therefore a 'fundamental breach of contract entitling the claimant to resign'. The tribunal found that both men were responsible for the breakdown in their relationship, and therefore awarded Ashe half of the award it would have otherwise given him. Claims Equilibrium Club was ordered to pay him £14,568 in compensation.
Fox News
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Hochul aide accused of sexual harassment was focus of prior behavior probe: report
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's top aide who was recently placed on leave over a sexual harassment allegation, reportedly had previous complaints filed against him which led to an investigation. Avi Small, Hochul's press secretary, was reportedly the subject of complaints for allegedly berating junior staff members, according to Politico. The outlet cited five people with direct knowledge of the probe who were granted anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter. According to Politico, the governor's human resources department and an outside law firm conducted the investigation. The people familiar with the matter who spoke with Politico said Small had a history of yelling at younger staff, making several employees afraid to work with him. Politico reported that four out of the five who spoke with the outlet said they witnessed Small chastising staffers over errors in press releases or if the governor's speaking engagements did not go as planned. The investigation into Small's treatment of junior staff did not result in a human resources violation, Politico reported, citing another person familiar with the outcome. That source reportedly told Politico that Hochul had inadvertently created a system in which allegations quickly led to serious probes that could tarnish a subject's reputation. Law firm Calcagni & Kanefsky reportedly conducted interviews with Hochul's staff regarding Small's conduct. According to Politico, which cited sources, staffers were worried when they learned an expansion of deputy secretaries' responsibilities would mean Small would work more closely with underlings. Politico reported that several staffers met with human resources after the conclusion of the 2024 investigation to ask about the lack of information on the probe's outcome. The staffers were reportedly encouraged not to discuss the allegations against Small. Additionally, multiple sources reportedly told Politico that there was information given to human resources about Small cornering a subordinate in a supply closet and questioning them. Small was recently placed on leave over an allegation that he inappropriately touched a staffer during an office retreat in Albany on June 16, according to reports. Multiple outlets said that the governor's office claimed action was taken against Small shortly after the complaint was filed. When Hochul took over for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo after he was ousted amid sexual harassment allegations in 2021, she vowed that "no one will ever describe my administration as a 'toxic work environment.'" Cuomo has denied any wrongdoing. In October 2021, according to a press release from Calcagni & Kanefsky, Hochul announced new initiatives aimed at tackling workplace bullying and discrimination. Hochul's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment, which was submitted on July 4. Fox News Digital was also unable to get in contact with Small.
CBS News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's press secretary suspended over sexual harassment allegations, sources say
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has suspended her top aide amid sexual harassment allegations, CBS News New York has learned. Press Secretary Avi Small is accused of inappropriately touching another male staffer during a staff retreat in Albany on June 16, sources tell CBS News New York political reporter Marcia Kramer. Sources tell Kramer an internal investigation by Hochul's office and an external investigation by a law firm are both underway. A communications director for the governor's office sent CBS News New York the following statement: "Governor Hochul has zero tolerance for misconduct by any New York State employee, and has instituted the strongest workplace protections and training policies in State history. While we cannot comment on an open investigation, as soon as a complaint was brought to the Chamber the employee in question was placed on leave." According to sources, Small was placed on leave last week.
