Masterchef presenter John Torode has revealed that he has ‘never been friends’ with co-host Gregg Wallace.
The celebrity chef, who has presented the popular BBC One show alongside the ex-market trader since 2005, made a point of avoiding his colleague once the cameras were off, Wales Online reports. In 2017, when MasterChef was gearing up for its 13th series since its comeback, the Sunday Mirror reported that even when filming in remote and exotic locations, the pair prefer to maintain their distance.
It has recently come to light that Wallace, 60, will temporarily step down from hosting MasterChef amid an investigation into historical allegations of misconduct dating back to 2005. Among other things, it is alleged that the host walked naked into the studio with only a sock covering his private parts.
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Speaking in 2017, Torode, now 59 and originally from Melbourne, Australia, said of Wallace: “We’ve never been friends.” He described his co-host as “so OCD” at the time, adding: “It’s funny, we’ve never been friends. We’ve not been to each other’s houses… He’s so OCD, he wouldn’t know what to do. He’d build it up in his mind for three days, and probably make himself quite sick, then he’d have an argument with his wife and not turn up. If I went to his house, he would feel like he wasn’t in control.”
John Torode has remained silent on the controversy surrounding Gregg Wallace following recent accusations. Rather than commenting on his co-star’s alleged misconduct, Torode simply shared an enthusiastic update from his workout at David Lloyd Club in north London, reports the Mirror.
His Instagram story boasted a snap after a satisfying spin class with the caption, “Love spin”, and gratitude for “Another bloody great class thank you.”
Meanwhile, 13 individuals, including the former Newsnight anchor Kirsty Wark, have lodged complaints with the BBC regarding historic claims. Wark, who participated in the sixth series of Celebrity MasterChef’s spin-off in 2011, claimed that Wallace had twice made “sexualised nature” comments during production, which led to discomfort among those present.
Wark expressed her reaction to the incidents: “I think people were uncomfortable. We were essentially a captive audience. People looked embarrassed and just got on with their work. I was actually more angry than anything else, because I thought it was so inappropriate.”
Addressing the matter, a spokesperson from the BBC remarked: “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.”
The spokesperson also noted the corporation’s stance on externally contracted individuals: “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.”
Wallace’s legal team has stated that it is “entirely false” that he partakes in any form of sexual harassment. Banijay UK, the production company behind the show for the BBC, confirmed that Wallace would be “stepping away” from the programme.
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