The BBC was allegedly warned about MasterChef presenter Greg Wallace’s inappropriate behaviour in 2017.
According to internal emails seen by The Times, BBC executive Kate Phillips said that she would ensure she was “informed straight away” if further allegations were made against the presenter after broadcaster Aasmah Mir, a contestant in the 12th series, complained about inappropriate comments Wallace had made during filming.
Ms Mir allegedly forwarded an email to Ms Phillips in November 2017 in which she wrote: “Should anything happen in the future, I don’t want to feel guilty when people say ‘why wasn’t anything said before?’, or for producers or editors to claim they didn’t know.”
In a later email, Ms Mir reportedly wrote: “This must not happen again to another woman.”
The Times reported that Ms Phillips had warned Wallace in 2017 that his behaviour was “unacceptable and cannot continue”.
Separately, The Observer reported that the BBC was sent a letter in 2022 detailing multiple allegations from several women of inappropriate behaviour by Wallace, but that a further investigation was not initiated at the time. The letter allegedly described a “pattern of behaviour” which “clearly fails to meet the sexual harassment and bullying standards that prohibit ‘Unwelcome sexual advances and sexual innuendo’”.
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.
“It would be inappropriate for us to comment on anything that could form part of Banijay’s ongoing investigation or otherwise influence it.”
MasterChef’s production company, Banijay UK, has been approached for comment.
An investigation by BBC News revealed that Wallace has been accused by at least 13 people, including former Newsnight host Kirsty Wark, of making inappropriate sexual comments and behaving inappropriately over a 17-year period.
On Thursday, it was announced that the TV star will step down from presenting MasterChef while the complaints “about historical allegations of misconduct” are investigated. Channel 5 are also investigating allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Wallace during the making of Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekends in 2019.
Banijay UK has said that Wallace, 60, is “committed to fully cooperating throughout the process”. On Saturday, the production company announced that it had appointed City law firm Lewis Silkin to lead the investigation into the allegations.
The accusations levelled against Wallace include joking about rape, making “lesbian jokes”, discussing his sex life, making sexually explicit and suggestive remarks, and undressing in front of colleagues.
Ms Wark told the BBC that on two occasions during her time competing on Celebrity MasterChef in 2011 Wallace relayed stories and jokes of a “sexualised nature” in front of contestants and crew and that she felt they were “really, really in the wrong place”.
Former MasterChef contestant Dr Kate Tomas, who competed on the show in 2008, claimed Wallace “sexually harassed” and “bullied” her.
Another former MasterChef contestant told The Sun that Wallace allegedly groped her on set while she was cooking in front of the cameras.
A producer who previously worked on MasterChef and another BBC programme told The Telegraph that she had raised concerns about Wallace’s “inappropriate” behaviour but there “appeared to be an acceptance of his behaviour” and “nothing was done”.
Georgia Harding claimed that the presenter “made inappropriate sexual jokes” in front of crew and contestants and that he “spoke about sex a lot and would get changed on set even though he had a changing room”.
Lawyers representing the presenter have said that “it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”, BBC News reported.