MasterChef festive specials are due to air later this year (Picture: BBC Picture Archives/Shine TV)
Gregg Wallace will still be appearing on the BBC in upcoming MasterChef festive specials despite an investigation into allegations of misconduct.
Today, it was announced that Wallace, 60, would be stepping away from his role on the culinary TV programme as historical allegations of misconduct are investigated.
MasterChef’s production company Banijay stated that the TV personality was ‘committed to fully cooperating throughout the process’, while his lawyers said that ‘it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature’, BBC News reported.
In a further update, it was revealed that 13 people had accused Wallace of making inappropriate sexual comments, including former Newsnight host Kirsty Wark, who competed on Celebrity MasterChef in 2011.
BBC News reported that Wallace was accused of allegedly talking openly about his sex life, telling a junior female colleague that he wasn’t wearing boxer shorts under his jeans, and taking his top off in front of a female worker and saying that he wanted to ‘give her a fashion show’.
Following the news that Wallace had stepped away from his role as a presenter on MasterChef, having fronted the programme for almost two decades, it has now been confirmed what will happen to episodes of the show that have already been filmed but haven’t been broadcast yet.
John Torode and Wallace have presented MasterChef together for several years (Picture: BBC/Shine TV)
Wallace has stepped way from MasterChef as the investigation is conducted (Picture: BBC/Shine TV)
Ahead of December, the BBC unveiled its packed Christmas TV special for the festive season, which will include two MasterChef specials: a celebrity Cook Off and a Strictly Festive Extravaganza.
The Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook Off will be hosted by Wallace and his longtime co-presenter John Torode, and will see the participants also cook for guest judge Duncan James, who won the show last year.
Then, MasterChef Meets Strictly Festive Extravaganza will see dancers Amy Dowden, Gorka Marquez, Kai Widdrington and Nancy Xu go head-to-head in the kitchen, with judge Motsi Mabuse appearing as a guest judge on the programme.
It’s understood that all of the upcoming MasterChef spin-offs, including the Professionals programme, which airs tonight, will be shown on the BBC as planned despite the misconduct investigation into Wallace.
The revived version of MasterChef first began airing in 2005 (Picture: BBC/Shine TV)
An insider told The Sun: ‘Removing these two shows from the festive schedules would have been a nightmare for the corporation, particularly as they’re believed to be scheduled particularly close to Christmas Day.
‘Still, many viewers will be surprised to still see him on our screens given the news that he’s stepped down as host.’
They continued: ‘His every word and action are likely to be scrutinised on the show in light of some of the allegations that have been made and it’s bound to be uncomfortable viewing for Beeb bosses.’
In a statement regarding the allegations made against Wallace, a BBC spokesperson said: ‘We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them.
‘We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.
‘Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them.’
Metro has contacted the BBC for comment.
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