Revealed: Gregg Wallace’s ‘MasterChef replacement set to be announced’ as John Torode’s co-host
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Grace Dent is set to be announced as Gregg Wallace’s replacement on MasterChef UK, it has been reported.
The food critic and I’m a Celebrity star, 51, is understood to be due to begin filming for the show with co-host John Torode, 59, at the end of the summer.
It comes after Gregg, 60, was sacked by the BBC following a nine-month sexual-misconduct investigation.
The BBC had reportedly received 50 new claims about Wallace’s ‘inappropriate behaviour’, including allegations he pulled his trousers down in front of a colleague.
This week, he hit back at bosses in scathing post where he insisted he was being fired despite being cleared of ‘the most serious and sensational accusations’.
Grace, who has now been pipped to take over Gregg’s role, has already appeared as a judge on Celebrity MasterChef.
A source told The Sun on Sunday: ‘Grace is a natural fit for the show as she is also hosting Celebrity MasterChef alongside John.
‘Grace loves to support up-and-coming talent in the industry and loves the format of the show.
‘Filming is expected to start at the end of the summer through December.’
John Torode and Grace Dent are pictured on Celebrity Masterchef in December
Gregg Wallace was sacked by the BBC following a nine-month sexual-misconduct investigation
Grace Dent, 51, is understood to be due to begin filming for the show with co-host John Torode, 59, at the end of the summer
John previously spoke out about how much he loved working with Grace and praised her expertise.
He said when she took over the role on Celebrity MasterChef in December: ‘I have loved working with Grace on MasterChef over the years.
‘She has been an excellent guest, an inspiring critic and also set some incredible challenges.
‘Expertise is what MasterChef is all about, from the contestants to our wonderful production team, to us as judges.
‘The love of food, the love of MasterChef, and that unquestionable expertise, makes Grace the perfect person to step in alongside me as judge for the forthcoming Celebrity MasterChef series.’
Gregg, who was recently diagnosed with autism, is facing a series of complaints about his alleged behaviour.
These include claims he made inappropriate sexual jokes, shared intimate details of his sex life and even walked around set naked except for a penis on his sock.
He also reportedly would take off his clothes in front of women on set, flirt with members of staff and has been accused of groping two crew members.
At least 13 people have made a formal complaint against Wallace, while other celebrities and former contestants have also spoken about his alleged behaviour
Grace, 51, previously judged the 20th series of Celebrity MasterChef alongside John
In a new statement this week, Wallace who has denied the allegations, said ‘the most damaging claims against him were found to be baseless’.
He said he had recognised ‘that some of my humour and language, at times, was inappropriate’.
‘I was hired by the BBC and MasterChef as the cheeky greengrocer. A real person with warmth, character, rough edges and all,’ Wallace said.
‘For over two decades, that authenticity was part of the brand. Now, in a sanitised world, that same personality is seen as a problem.’
He accused the BBC of doing nothing to ‘investigate my disability [autism] or protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment for over twenty years’.
And he vowed ‘I will not go quietly’ as he said the full 200 page report will not be published with the BBC instead going to release an executive summary.
‘What really concerns me about the short summary is others who have been found guilty of serious allegations have been erased from the published version of events. I, and I’m sure the public, would like to know why?,’ he said.
A BBC spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘Banijay UK instructed the law firm Lewis Silkin to run an investigation into allegations against Gregg Wallace.
‘We are not going to comment until the investigation is complete and the findings are published.’
Wallace was initially bullish in the face of the allegations, taking to Instagram to say they mostly came from ‘middle class women of a certain age’.
He went on to ask: ‘Can you imagine how many women on MasterChef have made sexual remarks or sexual innuendo?’
The former greengrocer later apologised for the controversial comments which caused a PR storm.
The under-fire presenter said of his middle class women slur: ‘I wasn’t in a good headspace when I posted it. I’ve been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion.’
