Gregg Wallace suing the BBC over ‘distress and harassment’ after MasterChef axe

Former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace is suing the BBC for up to £10,000 following his axe from MasterChef as he claims they allegedly caused him ‘distress and harassment’

Gregg Wallace is claiming up to £10,000 in damages from the BBC and one of its subsidiaries following his axe from MasterChef. The TV presenter has claimed they allegedly caused him “distress and harassment” by failing to disclose to him his personal data.

He is suing the BBC and BBC Studios Distribution Limited after he was sacked in July. In November last year, it was announced that Wallace would step away from his role on the BBC cooking show while historical allegations of misconduct were investigated.

This summer a statement from production company Banijay UK and the BBC said they had agreed “Mr Wallace’s return to MasterChef is untenable”. The BBC and BBC Studios have not yet filed a defence to the claim.

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In court documents, seen by the PA news agency, barrister Lawrence Power said that Wallace had requested “personal data” from the BBC and BBC Studios related to “his work, contractual relations and conduct”. Mr Power continued that Wallace made subject access requests (SARs) to both the BBC and BBC Studios on March 6.

Requests for access to personal data should be processed within a month, but this deadline can be extended if the information is complex, Mr Power said.

The barrister continued that on August 7, the BBC emailed Mr Wallace to apologise for the delay and stated they were “taking all reasonable steps” to process the request in “a timely manner as possible going forward”, but he has still not received a response.

BBC Studios is claimed to have told Wallace that it was withholding parts of his personal data due to “freedom of expression”. Mr Power said that the body had “wrongly redacted” information and had “unlawfully failed to supply all of the claimant’s personal data”.

He said: “By reason of the defendants failing to fully comply with the SARs made by the claimant for his own personal data, the defendants acted in breach of their statutory duty and in doing so caused distress and harassment to the claimant.”

Mr Power said that Wallace was seeking damages for “distress, harassment and loss of amenity not exceeding £10,000”, damages under the UK General Data Protection Regulation, and interest. He is also seeking a court order that the BBC and BBC Studios comply with the subject access requests.

Wallace began co-presenting MasterChef in 2005, but it was announced in November 2024 that he would step away from his role while the misconduct allegations were investigated. A review by law firm Lewis Silkin later upheld 45 of the 83 allegations against him, including one of “unwelcome physical contact”.

The report found that the “majority of the allegations against Wallace (94%) related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018”, with only one allegation substantiated after that year.

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”.

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 July, the BBC said in a statement that Wallace’s “behaviour falls below the values of the BBC and the expectations we have for anyone who works with or for us”.

It said: “Although the full extent of these issues were not known at the relevant time, opportunities were missed to address this behaviour, both by the production companies running MasterChef and the BBC. We accept more could and should have been done sooner.”

Wallace issued an apology saying he was “deeply sorry for any distress caused” and that he “never set out to harm or humiliate”. In a statement to the PA news agency, the former greengrocer 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.”

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The Mirror has contacted the BBC for comment.

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Loose Women’s Charlene White announces her dad has taken his own life in heartbreaking post

Loose Women star Charlene White has shared the heartbreaking news of her dad’s death, revealing he took his own life two weeks ago. Charlene, 45, shared the devastating news in a heartbreaking Instagram post, sharing a photo of her beloved dad, Denniston, and paying tribute to him.

The photo showed Charlene’s father smiling while standing on a beach at a sunny location. He wore a grey shirt and jeans as he leaned forward for the picture. In the caption, Charlene announced the tragic news, explaining her father was “living with a dark cloud”.

She wrote: “Two weeks ago our lives changed forever. Unbeknownst to us, our dad had been living with a dark cloud he couldn’t lift. So he made the decision to take control of that cloud and take his own life.

“This despite the fact he lived a life full of love. FULL to the brim. Overflowing in fact. But sometimes the darkness is stronger, and heartbreakingly for all of us, he chose to keep what he was going through to himself. Very typical of dad.





Charlene revealed the devastating news about her dad on Instagram today

“So we too have made a choice – his children, step-children, and wife – not to hide the circumstances of our loss. Because hiding emotions and the true depth of our feelings — hurt, pain, shock, grief etc. — helps no-one. Least of all us.”

Charlene continued: “This post will no doubt prompt many of our friends who we haven’t managed to reach out to yet, to contact us. Please don’t be offended by any calls and messages that remain unanswered for now. This kind of grief is new and unexpected and we’re still finding our way.

“Hug your parents close, and always tell them that you love them. Because that’s sort of our job as children, to love them, no matter where the road eventually takes them. Even if they end up taking the hardest most unfathomable path.”






Charlene White


Charlene reminded readers to “hug your parents”
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ITV1)

The star added: “But we have each other, and I don’t know how we’d ever be able to see a sliver of brightness and light in everyday without each other to lean on. And the million extended family members, and tribes of friends who’ve held our hearts and our hands over the past two weeks.

“On Sunday we had the traditional Jamaican nine night, and the ancestors were right – it was the most perfect way to release our grief through food, dancing, drink… and joy, with hundreds of friends and family. All organised by our tribe of friends and family. We’re incredibly blessed.”

She went on to gush about her ‘amazing’ father, writing to fans: “Denniston was an amazing dad, step dad, surrogate dad to many, friend, brother, grandad, uncle, cousin and husband. And we’re all just taking it step by step,” before she and the rest of her family signed off the tribute.

“From Charlene, Liz, Joshua, Carina, Jade, Gemma, Justin, Soriah, Alfie, Florence, Kairo, Elisha and Shaniya.” Charlene also linked to the Samaritans.

Charlene’s Loose Women co-stars and friends rushed to provide their support to the grieving star, with Nadia Sawalha posting: “Charlene .. oh my darling I’m in total shock for you . You have such a wonderfully close and loving family .

“Your adoration for your father always shines so brightly when you talk about him .
The hugest of hugs.” Coleen Nolan posted: “Oh Charlene so so sorry to hear this news… thinking of you and your family! Love you.”

Fred Sirieix commented: “I am so sorry. So sad. All the love,” and Jane Moore added: “So sorry for your loss. Sending love.”

*If you’re struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch.

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England aim to go ‘all guns blazing’ in World Cup

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Although fixtures against Sri Lanka and Pakistan should be straightforward for England as they look to continue their winning streak, they could prove decisive with back-to-back matches against India and Australia to come.

England thrashed South Africa in what could have been a tricky opener, avoided a scare against Bangladesh and now have a golden opportunity to make sure they go into those games against the pre-tournament favourites unbeaten.

But they will have to contend with more spin-friendly conditions in Colombo on Saturday, with opener Tammy Beaumont saying the nature of the pitches is reducing the gulf between teams.

“Every game in this World Cup is big. Bangladesh played so well against us and Sri Lanka will be a challenge in home conditions,” she told BBC Sport.

“The conditions are bringing all the teams into it, so it’s important we have to keep playing well.

“It certainly feels like the fixtures have worked quite well for us, so hopefully we can keep building that momentum and it will be all guns blazing by the time we get to Indore.”

The surface in Indore is likely to be the most batter-friendly that England will experience, with Australia’s 326 there against New Zealand the highest total of this World Cup.

While England’s batters struggled against spin against Bangladesh in Guwahati, they are not alone.

Spinners Linsey Smith, Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean and Alice Capsey have been superb, taking 16 wickets between them.

The contest for the top four places in the eight-team group was blown wide open by South Africa’s astonishing comeback against India on Thursday, led by Nadine de Klerk’s unbeaten 84 from number eight.

“I know Nadine quite well, having played with her at the Blaze,” Beaumont said.

“She’s an absolute fighter and a competitor, so it doesn’t surprise me that she pulled that out of the bag.

“It’s great to see that any team in this competition can beat anyone, but I think that kind of batting depth will be the difference between the top four and the rest.”

The International Cricket Council has said India’s fixture against Australia on Sunday will be a sell-out, alongside India v England, although there have been mostly disappointing crowds for games not involving India.

“Indian fans are so passionate about cricket, we know that they’re going to come out to support their team. But it will be amazing to play in front of a sold-out crowd,” said Beaumont.

Beaumont, who has scores of 21 not out and 13 at this World Cup, said overcoming a wobble against Bangladesh will serve England well.

Over the past year they have been criticised for not performing under pressure after T20 World Cup and Ashes defeats, and, had they not got over the line in Guwahati, it would have been one of the biggest shocks in Women’s World Cup history.

“We like to keep it exciting sometimes,” Beaumont said.

“But it’s given us really good belief. We know the blueprint of how we want to play, so we are calm and well prepped.

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Was Tuchel right to criticise England fans?

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Thomas Tuchel has only been England boss for 10 months – but he has again made headlines and ruffled feathers with his answers in an interview.

After Thursday’s 3-0 friendly win over Wales, watched by 78,126 fans at Wembley, Tuchel said: “I love English football and I love English football fans and the support they give, but I think the atmosphere did not match the performance on the field.

“We had excellent support in Serbia, but [here] we were 3-0 up after 20 minutes, we had ball win after ball win after ball win and I felt like why is the roof still on the stadium? That’s just it, it’s nothing big.

“We will do everything again to be infectious, there’s no problem. I’m sure we will get everyone going – it is on us. But tonight I was a little underwhelmed.”

He told ITV that “it’s a big sad” because for half an hour it was “just Wales fans” being heard.

Some fans threw paper aeroplanes on the pitch, an occurrence that has happened in recent years when England fans have been bored.

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What have previous managers said?

Fabio Capello in an England coatGetty Images

This is far from the first time an England manager has talked about an underwhelming Wembley atmosphere.

In fact every permanent England boss since 2008 (who has managed more than one game) has – although only one was anywhere near as vocal as Tuchel

Italian Fabio Capello said in 2008: “I prefer playing away from home. When we play at Wembley, sometimes the first mistake the crowd whistle.

“I think, at this moment, the players play better away from home. They play with more confidence.”

Roy Hodgson was asked about low attendances in 2014 after 40,181 watched a game with Norway.

“We’ll find it hard to bring attendances back because the opponents we’re playing won’t excite the public,” he said.

And Gareth Southagte was asked about paper planes after a friendly against Brazil in March 2024.

“I saw a couple of those after about 10 minutes,” he said. “We’ve had that throughout. I don’t think it always reflects the game. People can do as they please with their paper planes.

Why did Tuchel do this?

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Tuchel is well known for being direct and sometimes confrontational in his quotes.

In August he apologised for describing midfielder Jude Bellingham’s on-field behaviour as “repulsive”, saying he used the word “unintentionally”.

Tuchel has made friends and enemies at many of the previous clubs he has managed: Mainz, Borussia Dortmund, Paris St-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich.

Is this a cultural thing – and Germans are more direct than English fans are used to – or just a Tuchel thing?

German journalist Constantin Eckner believes it is the latter.

“That has nothing to do with Tuchel being German,” he said.

“That’s just how Tuchel thinks and acts. He is very direct, blatantly honest and can be annoyed by certain things.

“He rarely holds back, and is in a sense the new Jose Mourinho, who similarly speaks his mind during press conferences and post-game interviews.”

Eckner says some of this comes from Tuchel being used to club football. This is his first international job, starting it at the beginning of 2025.

“It certainly is a deviation from the way Gareth Southgate behaved during his tenure,” the journalist said.

“Also, I think Tuchel is not yet used to home crowds being that reserved, which can happen at international games.

“During his time as a club manager, the home fans were usually buzzing. Even Mainz had a great home game atmosphere.”

After the quotes on Bellingham which were heavily critised, Tuchel said: “I thought I had a little more credit with you guys [media] that I do all this in my second language.”

But this instance is not a case of using the wrong word.

What are the issues?

Tuchel’s comments about a “silent” Wembley have already sparked a debate about how the atmosphere for England matches at the national stadium can be improved.

Inside Wembley on Thursday, it struck me once again how when the second half began thousands of seats remained empty and it wasn’t until some time after the break they were filled.

England matches at Wembley can often be so quiet and the paper-plane throwing there that irked Southgate throughout his time in charge is still very much a thing.

Wembley for England is a changing crowd every time they play. The ‘Club Wembley’ contingent enjoying hospitality packages don’t help in that regard and it’s never a good look when many of their seats behind the tunnel and the dugout are still vacant well into the second half.

The England Supporters Travel Club have long tried to improve the atmosphere at home matches and only last month asked members for suggestions about “improving the visual and vocal atmosphere”.

As Tuchel acknowledged it’s not an issue for away matches, and praised the support in Belgrade last month. It’s to do specifically with the national stadium.

Which is not to say that Wembley is never vibrant for England – think back to the Euros in 2021, and what it sounded like when Germany were beaten, or the explosion of noise when Luke Shaw opened the scoring in the final. It was as loud as anything I’ve heard there.

Is it the lack of jeopardy?

The introduction of the Nations League has meant fewer friendlies that have absolutely nothing riding on them.

England have played about two friendlies a year since 2020, including against Senegal and Wales this year.

But while most of their games are competitive, most still seem to lack the feeling of jeopardy.

Since failing to qualify for Euro 2008 under McClaren, England have lost only two of their 79 World Cup or Euros qualifiers – usually qualifying with games to spare.

And while England have reached the Nations League finals, been relegated and been promoted, the tournament has yet to really capture the imagination in the country.

Wembley crowds have only seen England lose one competitive match since 2018, a 2-1 loss to Greece in the Nations League last year under Lee Carsley.

In this year’s World Cup qualifiers, England have won five out of five and already sit seven points above second-placed Albania.

Former England captain Wayne Rooney recently said on his BBC podcast, The Wayne Rooney Show, that most of these games are “nonsense”.

“Watching England now and some of the games, you know they’re going to win, it can be a bit boring,” he said.

How about other countries?

Alvaro Morata playing against Spain in 2024Getty Images

England play most of their home games at Wembley, only playing games elsewhere for logistical reasons or sometimes in the build-up to a major tournament.

Since 2018, they have also played home matches at Old Trafford, Molineux, the Riverside Stadium, St Mary’s, the King Power Stadium, Elland Road, St James’ Park and the City Ground.

There is a mix of strategy among other leading European football nations.

France and Portugal have fixed home grounds, but others like Spain and the Netherlands move around.

Criticism of fans is not unique to England either. And instances elsewhere show that playing in certain cities can affect how fans react to some players.

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente said he “felt ashamed” when Bernabeu fans booed captain Alvaro Morata, who played for Atletico and Real Madrid, against Brazil last year.

“It pains me to the core that in my country they boo the captain of the national team,” he added.

Are Tuchel’s quotes actually a bad thing?

The other question is whether Tuchel’s quotes should be perceived negatively or not.

Former England defender Stephen Warnock was at the game against Wales as a summariser for BBC Radio 5 Live.

“The performance warranted a good response from the fans. It’s disappointing he’s felt that,” said Warnock.

“Is this a negative? It depends on how you interpret it as a fan, whether you take it the wrong way or whether you think you can back the team more.

“Maybe there needs to be more done behind the scenes to be able to create pockets of fan groups together where you can actually start the atmosphere going and get the songs going.

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Ricky Hatton’s ex Claire Sweeney breaks down in tears at boxing star’s funeral

Claire Sweeney has been photographed in tears as she attended her ex-boyfriend Ricky Hatton’s funeral today.

The boxing legend has been laid to rest today as family and friends gathered for an emotional funeral in Manchester. The streets of his home city were lined this morning as his coffin made its way to the cathedral. There, friends, family and celebrities alike gathered to pay their respects.

Rocker Liam Gallagher, football great Wayne Rooney and his wife Coleen, comedian Paddy McGuinness, darts star Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor and boxing icons Tyson Fury and Frank Bruno were among the mourners. So was actress Claire, who dated the tragic former world champion who was found dead aged 46 at his Hyde home on September 14.






Liam Gallagher


Liam Gallagher was one of many famous faces remembering Ricky
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PA)

She broke down as his coffin arrived at Manchester Cathedral. The star, who was dressed in black, said she will “always love” Ricky in an emotional post days after his death last month.

The Coronation Street favourite shared a touching tribute to Ricky in which she told fans she “adored” the boxing legend. The post included a video montage along with the soundtrack of Elvis Presley’s If I Can Dream.

Ricky and Claire went from being friends to lovers and back to being friends again following a whirlwind eight-month relationship. They dated last year before things cooled between them just before Christmas – but it is clear they stayed close.






Claire Sweeney and Ricky Hatton


Claire and Ricky remained close even following their split late last year
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getty)

Despite knowing each other for many years, it was only after their stint on ITV ‘s Dancing On Ice last year that rumours of a budding romance began to swirl, following a series of pub dates spotted in Manchester. Their first public appearance as a couple came in May 2024, when they graced the red carpet at the grand opening of the £365m Co-op Live Arena in the city they both loved.

Ricky, a former light welterweight champion, met Claire during rehearsals for the ITV reality show and quickly began to win her over. A source told the Mirror at the time: “The chemistry was electric. Ricky went out of the show early on but he contacted her afterwards and let’s say he started wooing her. They’ve been out on several dates.”






Claire Sweeney


Claire joined thousands of mourners in Manchester today
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Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)

They added: “They’ve been seeing each other quite a bit. He is completely besotted. It seems like an unlikely match but he’s always had a way with women. They fall for his personality, and Claire has. He knows her number one priority is her son so they are being very careful. Let’s watch this space.”

She was left broken when his body was found at his home in September. Today, Claire said goodbye and the 18-mile memorial route began at 9:45am Cheshire Cheese pub on Stockport Road in Hyde before stopping off at the Harehill Tavern in Hattersley.

The procession then continued at The New Inn on Mottram New Road – a pub that Hatton’s parents used to own – where a dove release took place. The cortege paused at Hatton’s Gym and passed by before it moved on to Betta Bodies Gym in Denton, where Hatton trained for his world title fights.

After that, the procession made its way to the Cathedral for the funeral – which was an invitation-only service. The cortege then made its way to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium shortly after 1:15pm UK time. Fans once again had the chance to pay their respects. After passing through the Etihad, there will now be a private service for the legendary boxer.

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Claudia Winkleman ‘rarely takes her makeup off’ but when she does she uses this product

Claudia Winkleman revealed in an interview earlier this year that she ‘rarely takes her makeup off’ but on those rare occasions, there’s only one product she swears by – plus, it’s on sale

Beyond her iconic fringe, Claudia’s known for her hosting roles on Strictly Come Dancing and BBC One’s The Traitors, which kicked off its latest season this week (October 8).

Earlier this year, Claudia told Grazia in an interview that she rarely goes without her signature makeup look, rarely taking it off at the end of the day. That said, the 52-year-old TV personality did share that there is one product she relies on for those times when she does remove her full face. And we don’t just know where to buy Claudia’s go-to cleanser, it’s also on sale.

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Claudia said in the interview: “In terms of cleansers, the king of all cleansers for me is the Eve Lom Cleanser. It’s fantastic. I’ve dilly-dallied with other stuff, but I just think that’s the one – and this is coming from someone who rarely takes off her make-up. So, on the rare occasion I do want to take my make-up off, then you best believe the Eve Lom one does the best job.”

The cleanser that’s claimed the top spot in Claudia’s skincare routine is touted as an award-winning balm that deeply cleanses the skin for radiant, smooth-looking results.

And it isn’t just Claudia that’s got songs of praise for this cleanser, as Vogue hailed it “probably the best cleanser in the world.

Designed to provide a deep, skin-reviving cleanse, this Eve Lom Cleanser is a multi-purpose, multi-award-winning balm expertly formulated to suit all skin types. It combines the brand’s signature blend of four aromatic plant oils (Clove, Eucalyptus, Hops, and Egyptian Chamomile) to promote glowing, radiant, and smoother-looking skin. Clove Oil encourages clear, clarified skin, while Egyptian Chamomile Oil and Cocoa Butter soften, soothe and condition.

To be used in conjunction with the specially woven, 100% muslin cloth, this cleanser provides a deep yet gentle cleanse; effortlessly melting away dirt and makeup (even stubborn waterproof formulas) while gently exfoliating and decongesting without drying or stripping skin. It helps to slough away dead skin cells, smoothing and refining the skin’s texture, preparing the complexion for the next steps in your skincare regimen.

You can find Claudia’s favourite cleanser at Eve Lom’s website or at John Lewis for £65, while at Lookfantastic it’s currently on offer for £48.75. For a slightly cheaper, celebrity-loved cleanser, Boots is currently offering Molly-Mae’s go-to ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm for £39, down from £52.

It isn’t just Claudia who raves about this cleanser, as it currently boasts over 800 5-star reviews on Lookfantastic. One buyer beams: “I’ve been using this cleanser on and off for many years now, and in the past 6 months I’ve been using it exclusively. It works very well on my mature, sensitive skin. It leaves my complexion brighter and ready for my serum and moisturiser. Highly recommend.”

Another shopper says: “I’d never have splurged on a face mask this pricey, but after getting it as a gift, wow, game changer. My skin feels so soft and refined, even my partner noticed.”

A third chimes in: “I’ve tried so many cleansers and this really beats them all, not only does it remove all makeup, it’s very nourishing, my face feels clean and moisturised after using it. I realise it’s expensive, but it lasts so long that it’s great value for money.”

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And another customer gushes: “I love this cleanser, it feels so luxurious and just melts away make-up at the end of the day!”