Gregg Wallace apologises for 'any offence' caused by 'middle class women' comment

Gregg Wallace has apologised for his remark about "middle class women of a certain age" that No10 branded "inappropriate and misogynistic".

In a video posted on Instagram, 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 headspace 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.

"It’s obvious to me I need to take some time out, now, while this investigation is under way I hope you understand and I do hope you will accept this apology."

Wallace — best known for hosting MasterChef, Celebrity Masterchef and MasterChef: The Professionals — faces complaints about allegedly making inappropriate sexual comments during filming from 13 people over 17 years including former Newsnight host Kirsty Wark. It was first reported by BBC News. The star's lawyers have said: "It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature".

A backlash has been mounting against the 60-year-old star; he denied the claims over the weekend after stepping aside from the BBC show, saying the accusations come from "a handful of middle-class women of a certain age".

The complaints against Wallace have sparked a conversation over whether MasterChef: The Professionals should be pulled from TV as the BBC investigate. But BBC told Yahoo that the broadcast will go ahead with all the episodes as planned.

Downing Street calls Gregg Wallace's comments 'misogynist'

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy held talks with BBC bosses in the wake of the Gregg Wallace row, Downing Street said.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: "The Culture Secretary spoke with the BBC leadership at the end of last week on this matter and wider workplace culture issues to seek assurances that there are robust processes in place to deal with complaints.

"Clearly the comments we have seen from the individual over the weekend were completely inappropriate and misogynistic.

"More broadly the BBC is conducting an independent review into workplace culture which must deliver clear and timely recommendations. It’s essential that staff and the wider public have confidence that the BBC takes these issues seriously."

Should MasterChef be taken off air?

Labour politician Rupa Huq — who is a member of the culture, media and sport committee — said the BBC show being on air could be "massively triggering" for the women involved.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today: "I understand [Master Chef] is scheduled for 9pm today and it is all over the Christmas schedules but it seems to be not going away from the news. It’s number two on your bulletin.

"I think possibly there is an argument for pausing while this investigation takes its course and maybe not airing it tonight. I mean it could be massively triggering for the women involved — in fact any woman involved in any type of similar incidents."

She went on: "I know you are saying he has stopped presenting, but to the casual viewer there isn’t going to be any difference if he is on TV tonight. It looks like he has got away with it and I think the BBC should send a strong signal [about] this sort of behaviour.

"We need the investigation to do its work, but at the same time if it is being dangled on our screens where all this is going on I just think at the moment, maybe pause it."

The BBC has confirmed it plans to run the episodes as scheduled. Monday's episode is the 16th episode out of 21. MasterChef — which is also hosted by John Torode — is also on air on Tuesday and Thursday this week.

Asked whether MasterChef should be pulled off air, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “As we said last week, these allegations are obviously deeply concerning. It’s right that a thorough investigation is conducted. Obviously that’s for the BBC and the production company."

Asked why the Culture Secretary had spoken to the BBC about the row, the spokesman said: "I think, in the context of the allegations that are obviously widely publicised, but also more broadly in the context of the BBC’s independent review into workplace culture, I think she was seeking assurances and an update on the review.

"The Government is clear that that review must deliver clear and timely recommendations, as it’s essential that staff and the wider public have got confidence that the BBC are taking these issues seriously."

Production company Banijay UK told The Independent that Wallace is not set to be part of a future series while investigation remains ongoing; his contract is reported to be a series by series basis.

Backlash over Gregg Wallace's 'middle-class women' comment

After the investigation was made public, Wallace added fuel to the fire by claiming the complaints were from "middle-class women of a certain age" which is a comment he has now apologised for.

In a video on Instagram, he said: "I’ve been doing MasterChef for 20 years, amateur, celebrity and professional MasterChef, and I think, in that time, I have worked with over 4,000 contestants of all different ages, all different backgrounds, all walks of life.

"Apparently now, I’m reading in the paper, there’s been 13 complaints in that time. I can see the complaints coming from a handful of middle-class women of a certain age, just from Celebrity MasterChef.

"This isn’t right. In 20 years, over 20 years of television, can you imagine how many women, female contestants on MasterChef, have made sexual remarks, or sexual innuendo? Can you imagine?"

His comments have been mocked online, including by comedian David Baddiel. The comic wrote on X: "It's not often that the internet gets behind middle-class middle-aged women these days, but thanks to Gregg Wallace for making it happen."

Read more: Gregg Wallace faces mounting backlash after blaming scandal on ‘middle-class women of a certain age’ (The Telegraph, 9-min read)

Who has spoken out about Gregg Wallace?

Celebrities have started speaking out after Wark was one of the 13 people who filed a complaint against the star.

Aggie Mackenzie — who was on Celebrity MasterChef with the former Newsnight presenter in 2011 — claimed on Good Morning Britain on Monday: "The jokes were always smutty, they were endless, it was as if Gregg was some sort of dinosaur who just can't read the room and just seemed to be allowed to carry on. I actually can't listen to his voice now, it just sort of triggers something in me. It's horrible actually."

Celebrity MasterChef 2012 champion Emma Kennedy claimed Wallace thought a comment he made about a woman’s bottom "was funny".

Property TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp thought she might "cry" after Wallace allegedly made a comment to her about his sex life.

Sir Rod Stewart accused Wallace of "humiliating" his wife Penny Lancaster on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021 with a post on Instagram saying he was a "tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully".

Ulrika Jonsson claimed to The Telegraph that when she took part in Celebrity MasterChef in 2017 the presenter had made a "rape joke".

Aasmah Mir who took part in Celebrity MasterChef in the same year wrote on X: "In 2017, I took part in Celebrity Masterchef. I put my first dish down in front of the judges and the cameras paused to reset.

"In front of everyone, Gregg Wallace told me to tell a colleague at the BBC “that she was a sexy bitch.” No-one said anything. And yes, I did complain."

Read more: Who has made allegations against MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace?