Gregg Wallace has said he is reigniting legal action against the BBC after he was sacked from MasterChef and has a court date in "spring next year".
The TV chef, 62, was co-host and judge of the BBC cooking show from 2005 to 2024, but it was announced in November 2024 that he would step away from his role while misconduct allegations were investigated.
He was then sacked in July 2025 after a review upheld 45 of the 83 allegations against him, which mostly occurred between 2005 and 2018 and included one of "unwelcome physical contact".
Legal Action Reignited
He later sued the BBC and BBC Studios Distribution Limited for up to £10,000 in damages over allegations they failed to disclose his personal data, which caused him "distress and harassment", but discontinued the High Court case earlier this year.
However, Wallace has now said he is reigniting the legal action.
After an exchange with an account on X in which the allegations against him were mentioned, he responded: "The investigation overturned each of their complaints so you can imagine how upset I was that people were lying about me publicly."
He later added: "We are going down the legal route and I am the injured party. I'm a victim of a terrible witch hunt. There you are."
Wallace has since also posted on X that the "first court date is in spring next year".
Apology and BBC Response
After the results of the review were released last year, Wallace – who also co-presented the spin-off Celebrity MasterChef – issued an apology saying he was "deeply sorry for any distress caused" and that he "never set out to harm or humiliate".
After Wallace initially launched legal action against the BBC, the broadcaster said it would defend the claim and denied Wallace had "suffered any distress or harassment", stating in court documents he was not "entitled to any damages".
A preliminary hearing in the claim was cancelled shortly before it was due to take place on February 16, and a BBC spokesperson confirmed Wallace had discontinued the claim.
They said: "Shortly in advance of a hearing, due February 16, Mr Wallace discontinued his claim. He is not receiving any payment in costs or damages from either BBC or BBC Studios."
Related Developments
Wallace's former co-host John Torode was also sacked from the BBC following allegations of using racist language, which were upheld as part of a report looking into Wallace's behaviour.
The current hosts of MasterChef are food critic Grace Dent and chef Anna Haugh.
The Press Association has contacted the BBC and representatives for MasterChef UK for comment.
