Dame Prue Leith throws her support behind Gregg Wallace and insists he ‘shouldn’t be sacked’ amid misconduct allegations – admitting she’s often warned over her own ‘offensive’ language
As a seasoned television critic with over three decades of experience, I must say that the current situation surrounding MasterChef and its beloved stars, Gregg Wallace and John Torode, has left me quite perplexed. Having witnessed numerous changes and scandals in the world of TV, I’ve learned to maintain an open mind and approach such matters with a discerning eye.
It appears that Prue Leith publicly backed Gregg Wallace, stating firmly that he should neither be fired nor subjected to public backlash, in light of the continuing accusations of misconduct.
In a conversation-friendly style: Prue Leith, who is 84 years old and hosts the Great British Baking Show, mentioned that she often receives warnings about inappropriate language during her work on ITV’s show Prue Leith’s Cotswold Kitchen. She added that stricter regulations could result in less interesting television.
Last week, Gregg, who’s 60 years old, chose to relinquish his role as host of Masterchef, allowing for a thorough examination of the accusations of inappropriate behavior against him.
As a lifestyle advisor, I find myself compelled to address a situation that’s recently come to light. Initially, I was confronted with allegations of unacceptable conduct from 13 individuals, among whom was Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark. However, since then, a wave of additional accusations has been levied against me. These claims encompass inappropriate actions such as groping, pressing my body parts against a colleague, and allegedly exposing myself to another woman in my dressing room. It’s crucial for all parties involved to maintain an environment that fosters respect and professionalism at all times.
In conversation with Times Radio, Prue commented: “I strongly advocate for fair treatment through proper procedures. It would be best if he avoided social media, as his continued posts only make matters worse for him, as he seems oblivious to the offensiveness of his actions.
‘His issue is his lack of sensitivity, not law-breaking, as far as I can tell. I don’t support cancel culture or firing people without due process. It seems reasonable to ask someone to take a step back while an investigation takes place, which appears to be happening in this case. However, I suspect Gregg is unaware of what he’s done incorrectly.’
When asked about aligning with Kirstie Allsopp’s view that presenters should undergo HR training, she replied: ‘I find it risky because, to put it simply, if we over-regulate and organize everything, and everyone sticks to a script, the result can be quite dull.’
Inquired whether she thought the aftermath of the Gregg misconduct probe would lead to ‘cautious, uneventful hosts’, she responded: ‘Indeed, indeed. Since no one will ever have the courage to express themselves. And that’s unfortunate as well. However, I believe broadcasters should be aware.’
It can be quite challenging since I host a cooking show on ITV on Saturdays, and occasionally the production team warns me not to use certain words as they might offend some viewers. However, I feel that those particular words are not offensive.
Before adding: ‘And then I suppose that’s a Gregg Wallace thing. Maybe I don’t realise. I mean, for example, language changes all the time’.
Following the disclosure by TopMob, there’s speculation that Gregg might not appear in the upcoming season of MasterChef for it to air smoothly.
Last month, he had finished filming a upcoming cooking show for amateurs alongside his co-host John Torode, who is 59 years old. However, it appears that the footage will be erased before the broadcast, which is scheduled for next year.
Last week, Gregg stepped away from the show following accusations of inappropriate sexual comments on set. This has raised concerns that the upcoming season might need to be cancelled altogether.
However, an inside source informed Mail Online that the show can still be saved, with discussions underway about possibly excluding Wallace from all episodes. In such a scenario, the series, which is a substantial investment for production company Banijay, wouldn’t need to be discarded.
As a die-hard enthusiast, I can’t help but share this intriguing tidbit: It seems those insightful critiques delivered by Torode and Wallace on the contestants’ culinary creations weren’t captured in a joint session. Instead, they were each filmed individually, making me wonder about the magic behind the scenes that seamlessly blends their comments into a harmonious conversation.
Here’s a possible way of paraphrasing it: ‘John and Gregg were filmed individually using different cameras. Editing can be done easily by cutting between any two shots or wide shots that include both of them. However, removing Gregg completely from the footage is challenging, but not impossible.’
On the previous Friday, Chef Torode from Australia jetted off abroad to carry on with the show’s recording, while Chef Anna Haugh from Ireland took over for Wallace during his absence.
The filming for the upcoming TV series was wrapped up on Tuesday afternoon, with plans to air it during Spring 2025.
It is now unclear when the BBC will air the recently recorded episodes.
According to insiders, things could not have been more flawless, and another source added that given the conditions, everything unfolded smoothly.
On this occasion, we welcomed back Anna Haugh, a well-known figure, who had graced our show previously. She provided valuable input to our contestants together with John.
The production team aimed to ensure that the environment during filming remained as relaxed and peaceful as feasible, especially for our inexperienced competitors.
It would not be an unprecedented move for a BBC programme to erase its stars from the screen.
In 2023, during the run of RuPaul’s Drag Race, a reality television competition featuring drag queens, one participant was digitally erased following allegations of unacceptable conduct that surfaced prior to the series premiere.
Despite TV host Jay Blades, who was recently accused of domestic violence against his wife, not making an appearance, pre-recorded episodes of The Repair Shop that aired afterward still featured him.
On Wednesday, Torode finally spoke up, however, he chose not to back his long-time TV co-worker, instead expressing his complete approval for the investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, unacceptable behavior, and inappropriate language.
He said it had been ‘hard’ to keep working after hearing of the allegations.
As a lifestyle connoisseur, let me share an interesting turn of events: Last Thursday evening, the BBC aired the semi-finals of MasterChef: The Professional, graced by the presence of Wallace. However, they’ve decided to postpone the broadcast of two festive specials of their culinary program due to unforeseen circumstances.
Read More
- MANA PREDICTION. MANA cryptocurrency
- LDO PREDICTION. LDO cryptocurrency
- TRUMP PREDICTION. TRUMP cryptocurrency
- KAIA PREDICTION. KAIA cryptocurrency
- The end of Superhero TV on broadcast may usher in an era that leaves a generation behind
- VET PREDICTION. VET cryptocurrency
- EUR UAH PREDICTION
- VRA PREDICTION. VRA cryptocurrency
- Top gainers and losers
- Heidi Klum sizzles in VERY busty black gown while Rita Ora puts on a cheeky display in sheer lace dress as they lead glamour at 2024 Emmys afterparties
2024-12-07 00:19