Just why IS John Torode keeping so quiet? TV insiders reveal truth about his and Gregg Wallace’s ‘friendship’ to KATIE HIND, and tell what was really happening on MasterChef set
As a woman who has spent a considerable amount of time navigating the complexities of the television industry, I find myself deeply troubled by the recent allegations against Gregg Wallace. The accounts of his behavior, ranging from inappropriate jokes to aggressive outbursts, are truly disheartening and unacceptable.
For the past two days, a line of individuals have stepped up to recount stories of embarrassment, mistreatment, and outright rude behavior they experienced from Gregg Wallace.
Various personalities such as Kirsty Wark, Sir Rod Stewart, Aggie MacKenzie, and Ulrika Jonsson have been reminiscing about the controversy and distress that his unique sense of humor stirred up.
For approximately two decades, starting from the 1960s, there have been numerous stories about inappropriate behavior, suggestive comments with sexual undertones, and instances of unprofessional conduct from the 60-year-old host of MasterChef.
It’s worth noting that he was able to antagonize Kate Bottley, a Church of England vicar who became a Gogglebox star in 2017, according to my exclusive findings.
It was revealed last night that a previous employee alleged that Wallace made disparaging and insensitive comments about an Asian contestant, using racially charged language in 2017 on the set.
However, it is John Torode, his associate, who has been speaking the loudest – through his restraint.
As a devoted devotee, I’ve spent nearly two decades by the side of the Australian chef, a figure well-known for his stint on ITV’s This Morning before MasterChef sought him out. Over these years, we’ve accumulated countless hours together on the challenging BBC show, a testament to our enduring bond.
Yet he is still to break his silence on the scandal, which resulted in Wallace, a notoriously plain-speaking, Peckham-born former greengrocer and barrow boy, stepping down from the show this week.
Yesterday, when the Mail inquired if Torode had observed any of the supposed scandalous actions of Wallace or voiced his concerns to superiors about it, he remained silent.
Currently, the leaders in various industries are curious about what he observed and significantly, they’re interested in his future actions, if any.
On Instagram, where Torode is usually quite active, there hasn’t been any reference to Wallace since June, implying that his absence speaks volumes.
As a lifestyle expert, I can’t help but ponder if Gordon Torode foresaw the fall from grace of his colleague, Wallace. For quite some time now, whispers have been circulating in the media about Wallace’s conduct on set as allegations swirled that he was less than ideal, a term often used casually to describe someone who might not play by the rules. These rumors seemed to gain momentum within the television industry, painting Wallace as something of an enigma, or more colloquially, a ‘wrong-un’.
It could be the reason why Torode appears to be keeping a safe distance from Wallace, as he strategizes for his upcoming actions.
A source close to the situation disclosed this about MasterChef’s controversy: “Gregg and John have maintained a strictly professional bond for quite some time, yet it appears that their relationship might be in jeopardy at the moment.
It seems John may be more emotionally perceptive than people realize. Given his presence during the filming of MasterChef, one can’t help but ponder: What sights did he witness? What information did he gather?
‘John and Gregg filmed together when there has clearly been so much going on.
It appears that you believe John is extremely fearful about getting involved in this situation. After all, nobody wants his reputation to be damaged, given that he’s widely recognized as the level-headed one who maintains order. There’s been a lot of talk about Gregg lately, which certainly hasn’t helped matters.
Lately, Torode has been sharing numerous cooking videos on Instagram featuring himself and his beloved wife Lisa Faulkner, which has sparked speculation among followers that he might be preparing for a potential replacement.
After triumphing on the celebrity edition of MasterChef in 2010, this renowned chef – along with her partner, Torode – regularly posts clips from their ITV cooking program, John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen, to his nearly 230,000 followers.
No one could argue she’d make an excellent swap – not to mention a much better behaved one.
Previously, Torode spoke about Wallace on June 30th, sharing a picture of them both on a banner displayed at Glastonbury. Approximately five weeks prior to that, he discussed the finale of Celebrity MasterChef on his posts.
Currently, it can be stated that actress Lisa, formerly known for modeling and married to chef Torode in October 2019 at Aynhoe Park, Oxfordshire, serves as a refreshing diversion from the issues jeopardizing the future of the beloved MasterChef series.
According to a showbiz source, Lisa is greatly appreciated by both viewers and TV executives. It’s clear that her association significantly boosts John’s image, and having her on MasterChef undeniably benefits him and the show as well.
They currently have a hit show airing on ITV. It’s possible that she might attract the attention of MasterChef in the future, assuming MasterChef continues, as a potential replacement for Gregg.
As I’ve heard, there have been discussions about this matter recently. However, it won’t be until the investigation concludes that Banijay and the BBC can decide on Wallace’s future.
Although Torode, aged 59, remains silent regarding Wallace-related issues, Lisa has been more forthcoming. Notably, she brought up Wallace’s tendency for rudeness on set during her talk at the Cheltenham Literary Festival last year, making a point to discuss it openly.
She informed the crowd that, as far as she was concerned, Gregg seemed to be sharing off-limits humor.
You seem to be stationary, and if you’re positioned at the front, perhaps you’re busily working while thinking, ‘Only ten minutes remaining.’ Meanwhile, someone else is initiating the story, ‘A girl just walked into a bar…’
Torode, puzzled by his wife’s abrupt response, attempted to clarify the situation by commenting, “It’s actually evolved quite a bit…
Their defense was quite complex, given that Wallace and Torode don’t always see eye to eye. Off-camera, their interactions are often described as ‘stormy’ or ‘troubled.’
Despite serving as best man at his fourth wedding to Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2016, Gordon Ramsay and his wife are not particularly close. In an unexpected revelation to MasterChef viewers in 2017, Ramsay admitted, “It’s peculiar, we’ve never been friends. We haven’t visited each other’s homes.
Regardless of work-related travel overseas, they’ve consistently maintained a physical separation, opting not to dine together.
When we travel to a place like South Africa, we tend to do activities individually… if we decide to have an evening out, I’ll usually be seated at one end of a large table while he’s at the opposite end. He further mentioned that when they reunite, things aren’t always as harmonious as they seem on screen. In fact, Torode has confessed to arguments with his co-host, fueled by alcohol, in the past.
He confessed that one time, there was more alcohol consumed than usual, resulting in the cancellation of the filming, which was due to a heated argument that occurred on the set.
According to a source familiar with both individuals, it’s astonishing that they can work together on set at times, as they’ve experienced some incredibly difficult periods.
‘But John has stood by Gregg a lot over the years.’
Up until this point, it may have been the case. However, on Thursday, it became known that Wallace was compelled to leave MasterChef following accusations of sexually inappropriate conduct.
After 13 individuals, including ex-Newsnight host Wark, alleged instances of inappropriate sexual remarks against him spanning a 17-year timeframe from 2005 to 2022, he chose to resign.
It is alleged that Wallace displayed his bare upper body to a woman employee on the BBC cooking program, claiming it was a “fashion show” display, made inappropriate comments with sexual undertones, and requested massages.
At another time, there was an alleged claim that he mentioned to a less experienced female coworker that he wasn’t wearing briefs beneath his jeans. However, his legal representatives asserted that it’s completely untrue that he ever behaved inappropriately or in a sexually harassing manner.
In addition, it’s come to light that Wallace received a formal caution for his conduct in 2018 by the BBC, yet he was still permitted to appear on-screen again. This situation adds fuel to the debate about the discernment of those in charge at the corporation.
Friends have suggested his inappropriate behaviour may be due to undiagnosed autism.
69-year-old Wark, a participant on Celebrity MasterChef in 2011, shared with BBC News that during production, Wallace frequently told anecdotes and jokes of a suggestive nature. She found these stories inappropriate, believing they were not suitable for the presence of fellow contestants and crew members.
Last night, Wallace was removed from his role as an ambassador for Ambitious About Autism, a children’s charity, due to recent accusations against him. The organization has announced that they will no longer be collaborating with the television personality in response to these allegations.
In the course of my unwavering dedication to keeping up-to-date with news, I came across an account published by The Telegraph, which alleged that a past member from MasterChef’s production team insinuated an inappropriate incident involving Wallace. According to this claim, while he was kneeling to clean a spot on his trousers, Wallace mimicked a certain action by holding his head and thrusting his body towards mine.
On a different day, it’s reported that Wallace strolled into the studio entirely bare except for a sock concealing his lower body, followed by an amusing dance performance.
Over the past two days, a growing number of well-known women have spoken out against Wallace, adding fuel to the accusations that are intensifying against him with each passing moment.
Aggie MacKenzie compared Wallace’s behavior to that of a character resembling Sid James, who told unamusing, cringe-worthy jokes that people seemed to put up with. On the other hand, reality TV star Charlotte Crosby described him as being very unpleasant. Radio host and MasterChef contestant Aasmah Mir posted an ambiguous tweet following Wallace’s departure from the show yesterday, saying “Hang onto your receipts.
Later, videos surfaced of him making crude comments to comedian Katy Brand, saying “I’ll devour the life out of your little sweetheart.” Additionally, there was a shocking claim by Sir Rod Stewart that Wallace had humiliated his wife Penny Lancaster during her appearance on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021.
Yesterday, it was shared that Ulrika Jonsson was deeply affected by her experience on the show, as she disclosed that Wallace had cried after being criticized for telling an inappropriate “rape joke” which left a female contestant visibly upset and caused another person to angrily depart the set, expressing their dissatisfaction to the show’s management.
Later on, they approached Gregg for a talk. Following some time, he appeared, offering an apology. His voice trembled as he spoke, and tears welled up in his eyes during the apology. As reported by her.
She further mentioned, “The apology ought to encompass everyone. It seemed more appropriate, as one might guess, not to make the jest initially, and I most certainly felt uneasy on set following that incident.
And today, the Mail can reveal that it was Kate Bottley who made the complaint.
The insider from the show exclaimed, “She was utterly shocked,” adding that such remarks were unacceptable and it was beyond her moral standards, as a clergy member, to remain silent about it.
As a die-hard admirer, I can’t help but wonder, what seemed to elude the BBC and production company Banijay when it came to addressing Wallace’s supposed jabs? Why weren’t stronger actions taken earlier on?
There were red flags everywhere, it seems.
Indeed, I received a letter yesterday from an online advocacy group called “Men in TV Have Said To Me,” detailing that they had previously contacted the organization’s Human Resources department two years prior, expressing concerns about Wallace’s conduct.
It has been claimed that Wallace requested the personal phone numbers of women working on the set, and he is additionally accused of making inappropriate remarks about a woman’s posterior.
The issue of heated outbursts was brought up, and it seems these incidents were recorded on video, but the management at BBC declined to respond or address it.
One source connected to the scandal stated, ‘There’s no way it can be doubted that the gravity of Gregg’s actions was already understood by both the BBC and Banijay.’
‘Now they need to tell us why they didn’t act.’
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2024-11-30 04:50