Following the decision by the BBC to axe him from his role, former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace has vowed to to defend himself
Former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has warned the BBC he “will not go quietly” after their decision to terminate their connection. It was announced on Tuesday that the former presenter, 60, will no longer be employed by the organisation.
It comes as it was announced Gregg has been sacked from MasterChef over misconduct claims. He had been accused of making inappropriate sexual comments and jokes over a 13-year period. Fifty people made fresh misconduct claims against the TV presenter, according to BBC News, but he continues to deny all allegations.
Now, in a lengthy statement, the former greengrocer has slammed the BBC, saying he has been exonerated of the most serious allegations levelled against him. In an Instagram statement on Tuesday, he said: “I have 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.”
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He went on to accuse the BBC of “peddling sensationalised gossip masquerading as properly corroborated stories. He said: “To be clear, the Silkin’s Report 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.”
And Gregg also explained how it was his personality that had sold him to the BBC in the first place. “I was hired by the BBC and MasterChef as the cheeky greengrocer,” he continued. “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 claimed that his autism diagnosis wasn’t looked after properly. “My neurodiversity, now formally diagnosed as autism, was suspected and discussed by colleagues across countless seasons of Master Chef.
“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.”
After continuing to share his concerns, Gregg signed off: “I will not go quietly. I will not be cancelled for convenience…The full story of this incredible injustice must be told and it is very much a matter of public interest.”
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