Gregg Wallace will not be returning to MasterChef

Gregg Wallace is back in the headlines this week following the news that he has been permanently axed from MasterChef after 20 years at the helm.

The TV personality had been the subject of an investigation for the last several months due to past complaints about his conduct behind the scenes of the BBC series.

After the investigation began towards the end of last year, it’s now been confirmed that Gregg will not be returning to MasterChef.

But how exactly did we get to this point? Here’s a quick reminder of the story so far…

June 2023: Gregg Wallace confirms he was spoken to about his behaviour by the producers of Inside The Factory

Before we get into the current drama, it’s perhaps worth first revisiting Gregg’s departure from his show Inside The Factory back in 2023.

Gregg first revealed he was stepping down as host of the docuseries after seven years as he wanted to spend more time with his then four-year-old son Sid, who is autistic and non-verbal.

However, shortly after his departure from Inside The Factory was confirmed, The Times reported the decision was made after Gregg was “given a talking to” after engaging in banter “that he believed to be friendly but was considered inappropriate”, noting that while these remarks were “not sexual”, they were “understood to have related to the weight of female staff members”.

Gregg Wallace behind the scenes of his final season of Inside The Factory

Gregg insisted to The Times that these reports were “inaccurate”, saying: “I use humour to relax people. It’s a tool I’ve used for lots of years. I never, ever set out to upset or offend anybody and I never would. It makes me upset that I might have upset people.”

“All I would say is perhaps we need to draw a line between people that are bullies or nasty people and people that have made a mistake,” he added. “Perhaps.”

He later confirmed there had been a behind-the-scenes “argument” that led to him leaving, claiming: “There was an issue and I thought that was the perfect time to come out.”

October 2024: Gregg Wallace first addresses claims that he was the subject of a BBC investigation

A month before the investigation that would lead to him leaving MasterChef, Gregg spoke out after The Sun reported he had been at the centre of a BBC investigation years earlier, due to his alleged behaviour behind the scenes of an episode of Impossible Celebrities.

According to the tabloid’s report, Gregg sparked “concerns” during an appearance on the gameshow in 2018, citing an “insider” who alleged he had boasted about his sex life to a female staffer, and took his top off in front of her.

“With reference to what’s in the newspapers, these allegations were investigated by the BBC six years ago – and my comments were found to be not sexual. I repeat not sexual,” Gregg later told his Instagram followers.

“Something else that I feel very strongly about, strong enough to be on here, nobody six years ago or since has accused me of flirting with anyone or hitting on anyone, and that is important to me, and I say this for my wife Anna, who I have been true to and madly in love with since the day I met her.

“I don’t want anyone to misunderstand this and make it look like I was flirting with somebody. Nobody accused me of that and I never have.”

A BBC spokesperson also told HuffPost UK at the........

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