Celebrity chef and I’m A Celebrity alumni Anthony Worrall Thompson has said it’s time for “the youngsters” to make their way on to MasterChef, slamming the uproar over its co-hosts as ‘irrelevant’
Celebrity chef Anthony Worrall Thompson has said cookery show MasterChef needs to “move on” from former hosts John Torode and Gregg Wallace. The 74-year-old, who has appeared on the programme over the years – as well as plenty of other cookery shows – claims it’s time for “the youngsters” to take their place.
The two long-standing hosts of MasterChef have both left the show over the last year, with both Wallace and Torode accused of behaving inappropriately over the course of their career. Wallace was axed from MasterChef after an independent investigation upheld 45 of 83 complaints against him, made by 41 individuals.
One upheld allegation goes back 15 years and involves Wallace touching a woman at a party. He admits to putting his hand on her bottom, but maintains that he thought the moment was consensual.
According to him, the woman had shared personal details about herself and shared her phone number with him. He says he saw this as a sign of mutual interest.
But now Anthony, who appeared on the second series of ITV’s I’m A Celebrity in 2003, says the row is “irrelevant”. Speaking to Kait Borsay on Times Radio, he said: “These commissioning editors would have made their minds up months ago about what programs they were going to commission.
“So I think the Gregg Wallace thing is irrelevant. It’s a shame for MasterChef, you know, John Torode, Gregg Wallace.
“They were sort of part of the sort of furniture if you want, but it’s time to move on, you know, we all have to let the youngsters come through. Unfortunately, the commissioners don’t seem to be able to find the youngsters to replace us.”
When asked about chef’s egos in the TV industry, he admitted that TV runners should be treated with respect. Anthony explained: “We all try and keep it down, or some of us do anyway. I mean, I’ve always worked with a great team of producers, great team of directors, you know, that the TV crew were fantastic.
“And the ones you have to look after on TV shows are the runners, you know, the people who are doing the cooking in the back, you know, making sure everything’s nice and perfect. If you abuse those people, you know, you’re going to suffer down the line, you know, because those runners one day will be directors and they will have long memories.”
Wallace, 60, insists that, even in the official report, it was acknowledged that he viewed the interaction as consensual. Another upheld allegations relates to an incident from 18 years ago, when Wallace briefly emerged from his dressing room wearing only a sock over his genitals, an incident he says was a joke.
Meanwhile, his former co-star Torode, who hosted MasterChef for nearly 20 years, admitted recently that he was alleged to have used racist language after an investigation into Wallace. Torode claimed he did not recall making the comment and denies it ever happened, insisting he is taking legal action.
Earlier this month, the BBC confirmed Torode’s contract will not be renewed, saying: “The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”
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