A former Celebrity MasterChef contestant has emerged as a vocal critic of Gregg Wallace's response to the allegations against him. The MasterChef host, who is facing a barrage of claims including making "inappropriate sexual jokes" and having issues with his conduct, has tried to shift the blame onto a "handful of middle-class women of a certain age."

Insights from Contestants

Kirsty Wark, the ex-Newsnight presenter and one of the complainants, recounted in detail to BBC News how Wallace made comments and jokes of a "sexualised nature" during her time on Celebrity MasterChef in 2011. This incident has sparked a significant debate about his behavior on the show.Scottish TV personality Aggie MacKenzie, also a competitor on that series, agreed with Wark's statements during an interview on Good Morning Britain. She described Wallace as someone who seemed to be "some sort of dinosaur who just can't read the room." MacKenzie added that Wallace's reaction shows a lack of insight into his own behavior and that he has been allowed to carry on in his own way for years.

The Impact on Women

Labour MP Dr Rupa Huq, a member of the Culture, Media and Sport committee, suggested on BBC Radio 4's Today programme that pausing the current series of MasterChef: The Professionals would "send a strong message that this kind of behavior is not acceptable." She emphasized that it could be "massively triggering for the women involved" and for any woman in similar situations.

Legal and Internal Proceedings

Wallace addressed the accusations on Instagram on Sunday, stating that he could see the complaints coming from a specific group. However, his lawyers have asserted that it is "entirely false that he engages in behavior of a sexually harassing nature." In the wake of rumours, an insider from the BBC stated that it would not discuss individuals or internal HR proceedings but stressed that action had been taken in 2017 and 2018.Employees also brought up allegations concerning Wallace's conduct during Channel 5's 'Gregg Wallace's Big Weekends'. In response, the production group Rumpus Media has announced plans to look into accusations of "inappropriate behavior."It comes after announcements that Wallace will be taking a break from the MasterChef series on BBC while past complaints of misconduct undergo an independent review by the show's producer, Banijay UK. The production company has engaged the services of legal firm Lewis Silkin to lead the investigation.