Gregg Wallace has defended selling £37 video messages on Cameo to 'earn money' after being left struggling financially. The TV presenter and chef took to Instagram to hit back at criticism over the move, saying he takes 'great pride' in the videos he makes.
Wallace fronted MasterChef for two decades before stepping down from his presenting duties last year after multiple allegations of misconduct, initially exposed by BBC News. His departure came after an investigation substantiated more than 40 complaints regarding his behaviour on the programme, including one instance of unwelcome physical contact and three occasions of being inappropriately undressed.
Wallace hits back at Cameo criticism
To make some cash he turned to making Cameo videos for fans. Sharing a snap of himself, Wallace captioned the post: "Cameo Messages - yes, I earned money from them and they really did help us out when I lost my job. But I genuinely love doing them and I take great pride in them. You can see that from my five star reviews."
One Instagram user commented: "Really really happy with the one you did for my sons 40th , thank you," another said: "Hopefully you will be doing a special Christmas cooking show for us."
Legal action against the BBC reopened
It comes after Wallace confirmed he's reopened legal action against the BBC, despite only abandoning his claim in February. The former MasterChef host dropped his legal action against the corporation at the start of the year, announcing he will receive no compensation or costs. He had been pursuing up to £10,000 in damages, but court documents confirm the claim against the BBC and BBC Studios has been "discontinued".
The ex-presenter alleged that the broadcaster caused him "distress and harassment" by failing to properly respond to a request for his personal data. He launched legal proceedings following his dismissal from the long-running cookery programme.
Next steps in the legal case
Confirming he has a hearing next spring, the 62-year-old said on social media: "We are going down the legal route and I am the injured party. I’m a victim of a terrible witch hunt. First court date in spring next year. The investigation report shows no bullying, no harassment and no workplace touching."
