Gregg Wallace’s career collapsed last year as a result of allegations of inappropriate behavior behind-the-scenes, and Rick Stein has expressed his sympathy for the TV chef who co-starred with him.
A number of women alleged Gregg, 60, of making inappropriate remarks and touching allegations, which he has furiously refuted. The MasterChef host, however, made things worse for himself by apologizing on social media for using “middle-class women of a certain age” to defend himself.
The star has faced a severe backlash, but 78-year-old chef Rick, who has said he feels “a bit sorry” for the BBC star, has now offered him a more sympathetic response. Greggg’s BBC jobs have been terminated in the midst of an ongoing investigation into the allegations made against him.
Rick said it would “affect me terribly” if he found himself in a similar situation – but made clear that he had not “got any skeletons in a cupboard” himself. However, he added the current experience of his peer was “unfortunate”.
Speaking to The Telegraph, the Rick Stein’s Food Stories host said he knew Wallace, saying he is “just a different personality to me”. He continued, “It’s unfortunate if you’re that kind of person that you can get a little stuck.” You can’t say certain things right now, in my opinion, but he may have forgotten that. It’s not so much that he was a nasty person.
” I’m lucky that I’ve got sons who will instantly tell me, ‘ listen, you can’t say this’. And if you don’t pick up on that, the fact that things change, well that’s not very clever. Sometimes you think, ‘ I can’t believe this’, and then you think ‘ well, that’s the way it is’. There is no point in being completely stifled by it.
“I feel a bit sorry for him really. But I don’t like sleaziness so I’m not saying that (about all of Wallace’s behaviour). But he just didn’t realise that the wind had changed”.
When asked if Gregg ever had any concerns about the kind of public scandal he has become a victim of, he responded, “I don’t.” I haven’t got any skeletons in a cupboard. Hopefully. However, some people simply have luck and get involved in a situation that isn’t necessarily their fault.
Gregg’s attorneys previously told the BBC that it was entirely false that he was acting sexually harassingly. Due to allegations against Wallace, the most recent MasterChef: The Professionals series aired the following year, but two MasterChef celebrity Christmas specials were cut from the BBC’s schedule in December 2024.
Grace Dent, a food critic, will step in to take over for John Torode and Gregg on the upcoming 20th season of Celebrity MasterChef. A BBC spokesman previously stated that the company would continue to support “a culture that is kind, inclusive, and respectful” and would not “tolerate behavior that falls below the standards we expect.
A memo sent to staff by the BBC director-general, Tim Davie, and Charlotte Moore, chief content officer, said the corporation would be supporting MasterChef producer Banijay UK in its investigation. Additionally, Banijay UK stated earlier this month in a statement that “MasterChef welfare processes are regularly adapted and strengthened, and there are clear protocols to support both the crew and contributors. These include multiple ways of reporting issues, including anonymously. HR contact information is promoted, and contributors are given a set of contacts to talk to about any issues or concerns.
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Source: Mirror
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