The production firm responsible for MasterChef has enlisted a legal firm from the City to spearhead the inquiry into purported misconduct involving presenter Gregg Wallace.
Wallace, aged 60, resigned from the BBC culinary show on Thursday following allegations that he made inappropriate sexual remarks to staff and prominent guests over a 17-year span.
On Saturday, Banijay UK, the entity producing the show, announced the appointment of Lewis Silkin to oversee the investigation and urged anyone with additional concerns to reach out to the law firm’s team.
“Lewis Silkin is a prestigious City law firm featuring a highly skilled team specializing in investigations that have managed a wide array of notable workplace inquiries,” it stated.
“Banijay UK has been impressed with the firm’s meticulous, comprehensive, and unbiased evaluation and reporting.”
A representative further commented: “All information will be treated with the utmost care, and the identities of those providing testimonies will be kept confidential.”
Wallace has been a host on the program since 2005, in addition to its offshoots Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals.
Banijay has previously confirmed that he has “committed to fully cooperating throughout the inquiry” following complaints received by the BBC regarding “historical allegations of misconduct.”
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Gregg Wallace thanks supporters
During a discussion on BBC, Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark recounted observing Wallace “utilizing sexualized language in front of multiple individuals” during her appearance on Celebrity MasterChef in 2011.
Musician Sir Rod Stewart criticized Wallace on Instagram, alleging he “shamed” his wife, Penny Lancaster, in 2021.
The presenter has not yet addressed any of the allegations publicly, and on Saturday, he shared an Instagram post featuring a biscuit being dipped in cream, captioned: “Enjoy your weekend.”
In a video he uploaded to the platform on Thursday, he stated: “I wish to express my gratitude to all those reaching out and showing their support.
“It’s very kind of you, thank you immensely.”
The television star’s legal representatives stated that “it is completely untrue that he engages in sexually harassing behavior,” as reported by BBC News.
On Friday, the charity Ambitious About Autism announced they had dismissed him as an ambassador in light of the “recent allegations.”
Wallace is a father of three, and his youngest child, five-year-old Sid, is non-verbal and on the autism spectrum.
