Sir Rod Stewart last year branded Gregg Wallace ‘a tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully’ and claimed the former MasterChef star ‘humiliated’ wife Penny Lancaster during her time on the BBC show
Former MasterChef star Gregg Wallace has addressed comments made by Sir Rod Stewart and revealed what he really thinks of the legendary rocker. In December 2024, Sir Rod alleged that the presenter “humiliated” his wife Penny Lancaster on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021, following Wallace stepping away from the BBC programme while the show’s production company Banijay UK investigates claims of misconduct.
The veteran singer wrote: “So Greg Wallace gets fired from Master Chef. Good riddance Wallace… You humiliated my wife when she was on the show, but you had that bit cut out didn’t you? You’re a tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully. Karma got ya. Sir Rod Stewart.”
Loose Women star Penny said the following month that that she did not know her husband was going to make accusations about Wallace’s behaviour until she saw a post on Instagram.
Wallace, who was formally sacked from the BBC earlier this month following an inquiry into his alleged misconduct, has now discussed Sir Rod and Penny’s comments.
In an interview with The Sun, where he also reveals how he feels about his former co-host John Torode’s MasterChef exit, Wallace said: “I’m actually a Rod Stewart fan. I’ve been to see him twice. So that hurt me. Somebody like that carries a lot of weight. But there was no bullying and no harassing.”
Speaking about Sir Rod’s Instagram post on Loose Women in December, Penny admitted: “I didn’t realise my husband had sent that post out until it was out. And of course, you can imagine the influx of inquiries there were.
“I most definitely was witness and victim to some of the bullying and harassment behaviour of Gregg Wallace, and unfortunately, a lot of those involved in the production team were also witness to that, and I really feel that he used his position of power to, I believe, intimidate and cause distress to a lot of people on set.
“And it’s really unfortunate that someone like him is allowed to get away with that, and while others sort of stand by and let it happen at the same time.”
She added that she was “in shock” by Sir Rod’s message, recalling: “I felt a little bit vindicated that something was put out there, going back to sort of that whole Me Too (movement), it’s shocking to think how many women do suffer in the hands of… (men) in a powerful position and are too afraid to talk out.
“They don’t feel at the time that they’re going to be supported or listened to. So sometimes it can take a few years later for someone to mention something. It gives the other victims and people that have suffered the confidence to come forward.”
Following the BBC confirming his exit from MasterChef earlier this month, in the wake of a report that saw 45 out of 83 allegations made against him upheld, Wallace said: “For eight months, my family and I have lived under a cloud. Trial by media, fuelled by rumour and clickbait.
“None of the serious allegations against me were upheld. I challenged the remaining issue of unwanted touching but have had to accept a difference in perception, and I am deeply sorry for any distress caused. It was never intended.”
The report found that the “majority of the allegations against Mr Wallace (94%) related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018”, with only one allegation substantiated after 2018.
It also concluded that the “majority of the substantiated allegations against Mr Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour”, adding that “a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated”, with “one incident of unwelcome physical contact” also substantiated.
The report noted that during the course of the investigation, which was over a seven-month period, Wallace was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and said that the findings should be viewed in the context of his neurodiversity.
In his statement, Wallace added: “I’m relieved that the Banijay report fully recognises that my behaviour changed profoundly in 2018. Some of my humour and language missed the mark. I never set out to harm or humiliate. I always tried to bring warmth and support to MasterChef, on screen and off.
“After nearly 20 years on the show, I now see that certain patterns, shaped by traits I’ve only recently begun to understand, may have been misread. I also accept that more could have been done, by others and by myself, to address concerns earlier. A late autism diagnosis has helped me understand how I communicate and how I’m perceived. I’m still learning.”
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