Gregg Wallace Announces Major TikTok Cookathon Following BBC Departure
Former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace has revealed plans for a significant social media venture, launching a twelve-hour TikTok 'cookathon' in partnership with Malik Butchers. The event, branded as 'Gregg's Kitchen', represents a notable career pivot for the 61-year-old television personality, who was dismissed by the BBC last July after an internal investigation.
BBC Dismissal and Historical Allegations
Wallace's departure from the BBC followed a comprehensive review by law firm Lewis Silkin, which examined eighty-three historical allegations of workplace misconduct. The probe substantiated forty-five of these claims, with the majority relating to inappropriate sexual language and humour during the period between 2005 and 2018. One allegation involved unwelcome physical contact.
In response to the findings, Wallace issued a public apology, expressing deep regret for any distress caused and stating he never intended to harm or humiliate anyone. He later initiated legal action against the BBC and BBC Studios Distribution Limited, seeking up to ten thousand pounds in damages for alleged failure to disclose personal data, but discontinued this claim in February without receiving any payment.
TikTok Cookathon Details and Partnership
The upcoming TikTok live event, scheduled for Sunday, will see Wallace collaborate with Wolverhampton-based Malik Butchers, which markets itself as Britain's favourite halal butchers and home to the UK's most expensive halal sandwich. Wallace described the show as featuring amazing dishes, incredible guests, and exclusive offers from TikTok's integrated shop.
Manny Malik, co-owner of the butcher shop with his brother Adnaan, promoted the event on Facebook as an interactive cooking show where viewers can engage directly and purchase the foods being prepared. This partnership marks a strategic move for Wallace as he seeks to rebuild his public profile through digital platforms.
Social Media Career Development
Since leaving the BBC, Wallace has actively cultivated a presence across multiple social media channels. His activities include promotional content on TikTok, fitness workout videos, and personalised video clips on the Cameo platform. In one recent post, he reflected on being forced to change his life at sixty after losing his job and income, experiencing sleepless nights, but emphasized his determination to rebuild at any age.
Wallace has also launched his own YouTube cookery show featuring his wife, former Celebrity MasterChef winner Lisa Faulkner, and maintains an active Substack newsletter where he has questioned the investigation process that led to his dismissal.
Allegations and Response
The allegations against Wallace involved several celebrities, including Vanessa Feltz and Kirstie Allsopp. Wallace initially dismissed the claims as coming from a handful of women of a certain age, but later acknowledged the investigation's findings while disputing their validity in legal terms.
He has maintained that only two complaints were formally raised during his twenty-year tenure at the BBC, with the remaining forty-three upheld claims emerging only after what he described as sensationalised initial allegations became public in late 2024. Wallace noted that all but one of the substantiated complaints predated 2018, when he received a formal warning about his language.
Personal Development and Autism Advocacy
Concurrently with his media ventures, Wallace has embarked on personal development focused on autism support. Inspired by his six-year-old nonverbal autistic son, Sid, he is studying to become an autism coach and regularly shares insights on Instagram about recognizing autism not as a deficit but as a condition with unique strengths that can be developed.
This educational pursuit represents a significant personal commitment alongside his professional reinvention through social media cooking content and commercial partnerships.
Broader Context and Industry Response
The investigation also addressed an allegation concerning Wallace's MasterChef co-host John Torode using racist language, which was upheld in the Lewis Silkin report. The BBC cited the use of an extremely offensive racist term in the workplace as grounds for not renewing contracts, though Torode has denied the claim, stating he cannot remember the incident and does not believe it occurred.
Wallace's TikTok cookathon represents a notable example of media personalities leveraging digital platforms for career rehabilitation following traditional broadcasting setbacks, while his concurrent focus on autism advocacy adds a dimension of personal growth to his public narrative.
