Former BBC MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has publicly broken his silence for the first time since his dismissal from the popular cooking show, issuing a lengthy apology in which he admits to being "stupid, defensive, and arrogant".
The Apology and Admission of Fault
In a statement shared widely on Instagram on Monday, the 61-year-old presenter, who was fired from the programme in July last year, offered a contrite reflection on his initial response to allegations. Wallace specifically addressed his decision to dismiss complainants on social media as "middle-class women of a certain age".
He stated this remark was a "hurtful and wrong" reaction made while he felt backed into a corner. "It's not what I truly believe, and I'm sorry for what I said," Wallace wrote, adding that he had since learned the importance of listening first when under fire.
Defence of MasterChef's 'Boisterous' Culture
However, while apologising for his personal conduct, Wallace defended the overall atmosphere on the MasterChef set, which he led for nearly two decades. He described adopting a "loud, cheeky greengrocer" persona to match a "boisterous workplace environment, full of bawdy humour" that he claims was engineered from the top down.
Wallace insisted that the "colourful" language and sexual innuendo were commonplace and comparable to other prime-time shows. "We'd make jokes you'd see on any episode of Bake Off, suggestive comments like the ones that regularly show up on The 1% Club," he argued, citing food-based double entendres as a regular feature.
He portrayed himself as part of an "ensemble" where such behaviour was normalised, claiming that directors would hype up the energy and that no colleague or producer ever told him to stop. "I behaved the way I thought was expected of me," Wallace stated.
The Fallout and Ongoing Denial
Wallace's dismissal from the BBC programme followed an investigation into claims of inappropriate sexual behaviour and comments, allegations he continues to strongly deny. His co-host, John Torode, also had his contract scrapped in the wake of the scandal, with food critic Grace Dent stepping in as a replacement.
In his statement, the father-of-three suggested the "rules changed" around 2018, but maintained his intent was never to make anyone uncomfortable. He acknowledged that contestants may have felt unable to challenge his conduct for fear of jeopardising their chances on the show.
The lengthy apology marks Wallace's most detailed public response since losing his role, as he attempts to "share my truth" and move on from the controversy that ended his 20-year tenure on one of the BBC's most iconic programmes.
