BBC pulls MasterChef Christmas specials after Wallace claims

The BBC is pulling its MasterChef Christmas after presenter Gregg Wallace was accused of inappropriate sexual comments.

The corporation had said on Monday that all MasterChef episodes that had already been filmed would be aired as planned, including the festive editions.

Wallace stepped aside from presenting the show last week after a BBC News investigation revealed allegations of inappropriate sexual comments and inappropriate behaviour against him.

His lawyers have denied he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.

Two Christmas specials were planned, both of which were set to air on BBC One later this month.

It is understood the celebrity contestants involved in the Christmas special are being spoken to about the reasons behind the decision to pull the show.

A BBC spokesperson said: “As we have said, MasterChef is an amazing competition which is life-changing for the chefs taking part and the current series of MasterChef: The Professionals is continuing as planned.

“The celebrity Christmas specials are obviously a different type of show and in the current circumstances we have decided not to broadcast them.”

In a press release issued on Friday, the BBC said viewers could "expect fireworks, great Christmas banter and good food".

The first, a Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook Off, featured The Wanted singer Max George, Emmerdale actor Amy Walsh, reality star Luca Bish and comedian Shazia Mirza.

The second, called MasterChef Meets Strictly Festive Extravaganza, was due to feature Strictly Come Dancing’s Amy Dowden, Gorka Marquez, Kai Widdrington and Nancy Xu, with Motsi Mabuse setting a challenge.

Three repeats of an old series of Inside the Factory - which Wallace had also presented on - will no longer be shown on BBC Two in the lead up to Christmas, the BBC spokesperson said.

There will be no changes to iPlayer content.

On Monday, the BBC came under mounting pressure to consider pausing MasterChef while Wallace is investigated.

Rupa Huq MP, who is a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said the continued broadcast of MasterChef could be "triggering" for the women involved.

But the BBC confirmed later in the day that all MasterChef episodes filmed would be aired as planned, including the Christmas specials.

“MasterChef is life-changing for the chefs that take part and the show is about more than one individual," a BBC source said on Monday afternoon.

On Monday night, the latest episode of MasterChef: The Professionals was broadcast on BBC One.

But on Tuesday, in a change of position, it was revealed that the festive specials will now no longer be aired.

It comes after Wallace apologised for suggesting allegations against him came from "a handful of middle-class women of a certain age".

The TV host had said on Sunday there had been "13 complaints" from "over 4,000 contestants" he had worked with in 20 years on the BBC cookery show.

His comments caused a backlash, with a Downing Street spokesperson describing them as "inappropriate and misogynistic".

In a new video posted on his Instagram story on Monday, he said: "I want to apologise for any offence that I caused with my post yesterday, and any upset I may have caused to a lot of people.

"I wasn't in a good head space when I posted it. I've been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion, I felt very alone, under siege, yesterday, when I posted it."

He concluded: "It's obvious to me I need to take some time out while this investigation is under way. I hope you understand and I do hope that you will accept this apology."

A BBC News investigation heard from 13 people spanning a range of ages, who worked across five different programmes.

Production company Banijay UK said it has launched an investigation, with which Wallace was co-operating, while the BBC has said it will “always listen if people want to make us aware of something directly”.

People who have come forward with allegations against Wallace include former BBC Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark, who said he told stories and jokes of a "sexualised nature" in front of contestants and crew when she was on Celebrity MasterChef.

Other allegations we have heard include Wallace talking openly about his sex life, taking his top off in front of a female worker saying he wanted to "give her a fashion show", and telling a junior female colleague he wasn't wearing any boxer shorts under his jeans.

BBC News has also spoken to a former MasterChef worker who says he showed her topless pictures of himself and asked for massages, and a former worker on Channel 5's Gregg Wallace's Big Weekends, who says he was fascinated by the fact she dated women and asked for the logistics of how it worked.

Another female worker on MasterChef in 2019 says Wallace talked about his sex life; a female worker on the BBC Good Food Show in 2010 says Wallace stared at her chest; and a male worker on MasterChef in 2005-06 says Wallace regularly said sexually explicit things on set.

But some workers have spoken of more positive experiences with Wallace.

One former worker on Inside the Factory told the BBC he made a lot of "dad jokes" but it never went beyond that.

A former MasterChef worker said nothing during her time there was concerning. Another said she didn't feel there was any malice to his comments, although she understood why some people may have felt uncomfortable.

Wallace has also re-posted comments on social media from former contestants who said they had positive memories of working with him.

He has not responded to requests for an interview from BBC News.