Gregg Wallace has been criticised by autism charities after appearing to link the allegations of misconduct against him to his recent autism diagnosis. The National Autistic Society warned against generalising about the condition, stating that every autistic person is different and judgments should not be made based on one individual's actions.
Wallace was sacked as MasterChef presenter on Tuesday following an investigation into alleged inappropriate behaviour. Over 50 people have come forward with claims, mostly of inappropriate sexual comments, and 11 women have accused him of groping and touching.
In a statement, the 60-year-old claimed he had been cleared of the “most serious and sensational accusations” and that TV bosses failed to investigate his disability or protect him from what he called a “dangerous environment”.
Jessie Hewitson, director of NeuroUniverse, who is autistic, said she does not see a connection between the alleged behaviour and autism. She noted that common misunderstandings with autistic people involve directness or anxiety, not sexual impropriety. She stressed that autism does not give a “free pass” for bad behaviour.
Seema Flower, founder of Blind Ambition, said using autism as an excuse is “really damaging” and could lead to negative perceptions of autistic people, potentially affecting employment and social interactions. She added that it makes a “mockery” of the diagnosis.
