Gregg Wallace's Lucrative Cameo Venture Following BBC Departure
Gregg Wallace, the former MasterChef presenter, is reportedly recouping a significant portion of his former BBC salary by joining the celebrity video-sharing platform Cameo. The 61-year-old television personality, who earned an impressive £400,000 annually at the BBC, lost his position after 45 upheld complaints regarding inappropriate sexual language, humour, and physical contact during his tenure on the primetime cooking show.
Substantial Earnings from Personalised Messages
Wallace has become one of the platform's most active celebrities, currently ranking as the fourth busiest on Cameo. He charges £40 for each tailored video message, with a commitment to deliver the completed clip within seven hours. According to reports from The Sun, his estimated monthly earnings reach as high as £20,000, potentially translating to £240,000 annually—more than half of his previous BBC salary.
His messages cater to various special occasions, including birthdays and Valentine's Day, keeping him particularly busy during recent weeks. Wallace actively promotes his services on his personal Instagram account, where he recently posted a video reminding followers: 'Have you forgotten Valentine’s Day? Don’t worry. My average turnaround is seven hours so you’ve still got time - guys, we’ve got this.'
Wallace's Defence Against Misconduct Allegations
In a detailed Substack post, Wallace launched a fresh defence against the allegations that led to his dismissal from MasterChef last July. He characterised the 45 upheld complaints as a 'pile on' rather than evidence of sustained inappropriate behaviour over his two-decade career. Wallace claimed that only two complaints were raised during his 20-year tenure, with the remaining 43 emerging after initial allegations became public in late 2024.
He criticised the investigation process, stating it was 'not a legal one' and that 'the standard of proof would not stand up in a court of law,' comparing it instead to an internal human resources procedure. Wallace alleged that an 'open invitation' was issued for anyone who had ever worked with or met him to come forward after his reputation was already damaged.
Context and Career Background
The former presenter, who co-hosted MasterChef with John Torode for nearly 20 years, highlighted that he had interacted with 'tens of thousands of people' throughout his career. This included six new contestants each filming day, changing film crews, other participants, and attendees at charity events and industry parties.
Wallace questioned whether anyone could survive such an investigation without complaints, given the broad invitation for grievances. He noted that 'all but one' of the upheld complaints dated from before 2018, when he received a formal warning about his language. The single post-2018 complaint involved a question to a Celebrity MasterChef contestant about eating habits, which was classified as bullying but raised by someone who overheard rather than the individual concerned.
Regarding the most serious allegations, Wallace stated they involved 'one instance of touching at a party 17 years ago, which I myself confirmed and believed to be consensual, and three instances of being in a state of undress that the investigation itself confirmed to be for legitimate and non-sexually-motivated reasons.' He urged readers to compare this account with media headlines, claiming many published stories were found untrue during the investigation.
The Daily Mail has contacted a representative for further comment on these developments.
