KATY Brand has broken her silence on the MasterChef ‘tart’ moment with Gregg Wallace as she slammed the ‘crass’ star.
The former Celebrity MasterChef contestant took to Instagram to release a statement after Gregg, 60, stepped down from the hugely popular BBC1 show yesterday.
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It follows complaints from 13 people about historical allegations, including former Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark. He strongly denies the claims.
As news broke that Gregg had stepped back from the show, a shocking clip from the 2013 celeb edition resurfaced, in which he told comedian Katy “I’ll munch the living daylights out of your little tart”.
It comes as…
- Gregg Wallace has stepped down from MasterChef
- Star faces probe after allegedly making sexual remarks to 13 colleagues
- BBC Newsnight presenter and 2011 contestant Kirsty Wark says Wallace told ‘sexualised’ jokes while filming
- Gregg accused of talking openly about his sex life, taking his top off in front of a young staffer staffer and telling another he wasn’t wearing any pants
- Previous MasterChef episodes presented by scandal-hit Gregg still on iPlayer
- MasterChef star Aasmah Mir shares cryptic ‘always keep your receipts’ post
- BBC will still air two Masterchef festive specials this Christmas – despite both being fronted by Gregg Wallace
- Gregg breaks his silence – thanking fans for showing their support
Addressing the fallout from the viral footage today, Katy, 45, said she had thought the remark “crass”, and backed those who had made complaints about the star, adding that she was not one of them.
She wrote: “I am aware of the allegations of misconduct currently surrounding Gregg Wallace.
“I am aware that he has stepped back from presenting Masterchef until these allegations have been properly investigated.
“I am also aware that a video of my time on the show in 2013 is circulating, where Wallace makes a remark to me about a dish I cooked.
“I took it as an innuendo-laden remark at the time, and I still see it that way now.”
She continued: “My reaction on camera was one of shock and disbelief at such a crass and idiotic joke, and so I laughed and said ‘excuse me?’
“To which he reacted with a deadpan express and remark about my laughter.
“The video online is a pretty accurate representation of my recollection of what happened.
“It was awkward.
“For the sake of clarity, I am not one of those who has made an official complaint.
“I applaud those who have, especially those who work off-camera and who often find they do not have the opportunity or support to react in the moment.
“I hope they find it now.
“That’s all I have to say.
“Thanks.”
Gregg Wallace’s career to date
Gregg Wallace has been a familiar face on TV for years now thanks to his role as a judge on MasterChef – but let’s take a closer look at his career so far…
- In 1989, he started George Allan’s Greengrocers, a company that grew to a turnover of £7.5 million.
- Gregg’s experience in the world of fruit and veg lead to him co-hosting Veg Talk on BBC Radio 4 with Charlie Hicks for seven years.
- He then became the first host of Saturday Kitchen in 2002, a role he held for a year before being replaced by Antony Worrall Thompson in 2003.
- At the same time, Gregg presented a number of food-related TV specials, including Veg Out for the Discovery Channel.
- Gregg landed his most notable TV role as a co-presenter and judge on BBC’s competitive cooking show MasterChef in 2005. He stars alongside John Torode.
- In 2010 Gregg pursued another life-long dream of opening a restaurant. He opened the establishment Wallace & Co. in Putney.
- Then, in 2012, he opened Gregg’s Bar & Grill in a joint venture with the Bermondsey Square Hotel.
- Gregg then scored a hosting gig with the BBC, presenting the documentary Supermarket Secrets in August 2013.
- Unfortunately, times were tough for Gregg, and in the same month, it was reported that one of his companies, West Veg Limited, had folded, owing more than £500,000.
- In 2014, both of his restaurants folded, with Wallace & Co owing suppliers £150,000.
- However, his TV career continued to thrive, and in 2015 became the regularly host of the award-winning documentary food series Eat Well for Less? Gregg helmed the show for eight years before stepping away.
- Gregg then made Telly history again when he revived the BBC’s historical game show Time Commanders.
- More recently, the celebrity chef has presented a number of travel programmes such as Big Weekends with Gregg Wallace, South Africa with Gregg Wallace, and the food mockumentary, Gregg Wallace: The British Miracle Meat.
The scene in question from the 2013 series shows Katy presenting an egg tart to Gregg and his co-host John Torode.
Gregg tells her: “I find this quite pleasant. Left to my own devices, I’d probably munch the living daylights out of your little tart.”
Yesterday it was revealed that Gregg stepped down from MasterChef.
It comes after The Sun reported how Gregg previously came under fire after “inappropriate sexual comments” were reportedly made to a female BBC staffer on Impossible Celebrities.
He faces a fresh wave of allegations, including him being “very touchy-feely” and making “disgusting sex-related jokes” across the years, as well as performing a “silly dance” while wearing just a sock over his genitals.
Gregg, whose supposed misconduct on MasterChef spans from 2005 until 2022, also allegedly mimicked a sex act in front of a crew member and made “a joke about rape”.
On Thursday evening Gregg broke his silence, thanking people for “showing their support” on a video posted to his Instagram.
The Peckham-born former market trader said in an Instagram video: “I would like to thank all the people getting in touch, reach out and showing their support.
“That’s good of you, thank you very much.”
Gregg joined the show in 2005. Both he and the BBC are said to be “fully cooperating” with the investigation.
Programme-makers Banijay UK said it was carrying out “an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate”.
A spokesperson said: “While this review is underway, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully cooperating throughout the process.
“Banijay UK’s duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions, with multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously, clearly promoted on set.
“Whilst these are historical allegations, incidences brought to our attention where these expectations are not met, are thoroughly investigated and addressed appropriately.”
A BBC spokesman added: “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.”
Recorded episodes of MasterChef: The Professionals featuring Gregg will still be shown as planned.
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