MasterChef viewers claim they want axed hosts Gregg Wallace and John Torode BACK on the show – in backlash against new judges

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Fans of MasterChef, a popular cooking show, have announced their intention to stop watching the upcoming season following the confirmation this week by the BBC that John Torode and Gregg Wallace, who have been hosting for 20 years, will be replaced by new hosts.

It came to light that the new judging panel replacing Gregg and John will consist entirely of Grace Dent and Anna Haugh, who will also be presenting their roles in an all-female team. However, there’s been a twist – viewers have started a campaign for the original hosts to make a comeback.

Beneath the post about X on social media, people expressed their discontent, stating that the cooking show would lack its charm without Gregg and John, who were dismissed in an investigation earlier this year.

Expressing their opinions on the news, numerous individuals expressed a desire for the status quo to remain, suggesting that changes made during the reorganization be reverted.

1. They recommended: ‘Choose Gregg and John over others’;

2. We won’t watch it: ‘Bring back John & Gregg instead of this’;

3. It won’t be as good: ‘Gregg’s absence will make it less appealing’;

4. Ratings may decline: ‘That show might lose audience members with Gregg gone’;

5. I can’t find him: ‘Whereabouts is Gregggg now?’;

I wish to have Greg and John together.”

“The BBC has become too politically correct.”

“It used to be fun and entertaining, but now it’s overly concerned with political correctness. Maybe Gregg and John should start their own show, like the original Top Gear crew.

I won’t continue to watch once this series ends, as much as I appreciate Grace Dent, I feel Anna Haugh might not be the best fit for me. In my opinion, during her stint on MasterChef: The Professionals, she didn’t impress much. I believe John Torode should still be part of it.

As a lifestyle enthusiast, I find myself taking a step back from the latest season of MasterChef. While I wish both contestants the best of luck, I must admit that some aspects of Torode’s treatment felt unfair and out of line. In my opinion, he should still be part of the show. As for Wallace, there are moments when it feels like something isn’t quite right – it’s not an easy conclusion to reach, but it’s hard to deny the feeling that he may have been treated unjustly as well.

Alas, it seems MasterChef, a staple in my household since 1990, has evolved into something less familiar and appealing to me. Though I bid farewell with a heavy heart, I look forward to discovering new culinary experiences and shows that align more closely with my values and preferences. RIP MasterChef, 1990-2024.

On the contrary, not everyone expressed disappointment about the hosts; instead, they were eagerly anticipating watching the new presenters.

1. “That’s fantastic! Can’t wait to see it”;

2. “Impressive pick! I’m excited to watch”;

3. “Outstanding! Anna Haugh is amazing”;

4. “Terrific choice, can’t wait for the show to start”;

5. “Fantastic news! It should be an excellent performance”;

6. “Well done, both choices. Can’t wait to tune in!”

Grace, a 51-year-old food critic, will team up with Anna, a 44-year-old Irish chef who is well-known for her appearances on BBC cooking programs. Both of them have prior experience serving as judges on Masterchef.

On MasterChef, Grace often made appearances, whereas Anna serves as a judge on the spin-off series titled Professionals.

Previously, Anna took over for Gregg during the amateur version of the show, which was recorded at the tail-end of the previous year following a sequence of misconduct accusations against him.

1. Gregg was let go due to multiple accusations of misbehavior during his stint on the show. On the other hand, John was terminated after a 20-year tenure, following claims that he had used a racially offensive slur.

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2. After being accused of misconduct several times during his time on the series, Gregg was dismissed. In contrast, John’s employment ended after two decades due to accusations that he had used the N-word.

Discussions arose on potential replacements for them, prior to Grace and Anna clinching the esteemed judge positions, surpassing Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing.

Author and podcaster Grace was a contestant on MasterChef: Battle Of The Critics in 2023.

She expressed great excitement about returning to the MasterChef kitchen, eager to discover hidden cooking talents that have been developed in private.

Working with Anna is truly delightful as she generously shares her wealth of knowledge and expertise. I’m absolutely thrilled about this project and can hardly wait to dive in!

The news comes after MasterChef lost nearly one million viewers as the new series aired last month.

The debated 21st series became available on BBC iPlayer during the day, followed by its broadcasting by the station after they made the choice to air the episodes.

In the final moments, there was a rush to make changes and reduce the number of times actors Gregg and John appeared in it.

In the past few weeks, both hosts have been replaced for future editions of the prolonged cooking competition.

Approximately 1.96 million viewers tuned in for the premiere episode, which is a decrease compared to the 2.73 million who watched the opening episode of last year, according to The BBC’s own reporting.

Critics strongly criticized the BBC for their seemingly insensitive choice to proceed with a new season, following the dismissal of both hosts.

Many viewers found themselves perplexed, questioning why the broadcast had taken place given recent events. Meanwhile, a body language analyst noted that the hosts seemed to have little on-camera chemistry.

They wrote about X: ‘It’s shameful that the BBC aired the latest season of MasterChef. It’s high time we abolish the license fee – it’s become a farce.’

I’m currently watching the new season of MasterChef on BBC, but it seems odd to me that Gregg Wallace and John Torode are still hosting, considering the misconduct allegations against them. Whether it’s pre-recorded or not, this decision to air it with them feels out of touch and insensitive. It leaves me wondering what the thinking was behind it. #BBCMisstep

‘Why are these men still on masterchef?.’,

It’s interesting to see MasterChef hosted by the two chefs who got let go. It feels like ages since the accusations against Wallace, especially him, surfaced.

Anna Haugh stepped in for Gregg in the recent episodes of the current season of MasterChef, as it appears that she wasn’t aware this change was happening. The unfortunate contestants’ series was significantly overshadowed by the unexpected switch #MasterChef. Some viewers even speculated that the BBC aired an incorrect program tonight #Mistake or #Unbelievable. These allegations against him first surfaced recently.

‘Who getting kicked off today. Weirdly it’s the presenters #Masterchef.’,

John and Gregg were both sacked from the programme in quick succession in July.

Gregg was let go from his job after an investigation by the BBC found over 45 allegations against him to be valid.

Chef John, an Australian native, unfortunately lost his position after nearly two decades due to accusations that he employed a racial slur, specifically the N-word.

According to the BBC, it was announced that the host’s employment contract will not be extended following a report that revealed he had employed a highly offensive racial slur during a post-show gathering over drinks.

The report on Gregg’s inappropriate behavior disclosed a grievance made against John.

In the report, John referred to himself as an individual-not named specifically-who faced allegations for employing derogatory or racially insensitive language.

Instead, the presenter indicated that they had no memory of the incident whatsoever and doubted its occurrence.

The witness informed the investigators that he expressed remorse promptly, felt deeply embarrassed, and didn’t employ the term disrespectfully back in 2018.

In relation to this claim, it was confirmed by the investigation conducted by Lewis Silkin, a reputable law firm, that the use of a highly offensive racial slur within the workplace had indeed been verified.

‘The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously.

We will not allow any form of racist language, and we have informed Banijay UK, the producers of MasterChef, that appropriate action needs to be taken. Consequently, John Torode’s contract for MasterChef will not be extended.

In the program, Sarah Shafi was missing due to her concerns regarding Gregg’s actions.

She asserted that Gregg had been staring at her inappropriately and making unwelcome remarks about his past with women during the show.

As a devoted follower, I’ve chosen to share my decision to step away from the popular BBC cooking program, following allegations concerning my actions and an investigation into my behavior. The findings confirmed that nearly half (45 out of 83) of the complaints lodged were valid. In total, 41 individuals voiced their concerns.

The findings showed that most of the verified claims against Wallace were connected to inappropriate sexual remarks and jokes.

Additionally, it was confirmed that there were several claims about the use of inappropriate language, improper conduct involving lack of clothing, and one instance of unwelcome physical touch – all these incidents were verified as well.

Previously known Eat Well for Less host explained to The Sun that although he doesn’t reject all the accusations, he feels that some aspects might have been misunderstood or misconstrued.

Gregg asserted that out of the approximately 4,000 individuals he had collaborated with, a mere 0.5% expressed any criticism towards him.

He asserted that his actions stemmed from learned behaviors within the workplace environment and the prevailing culture, adding that his recently-received autism diagnosis had an impact as well.

He acknowledged, “I understand that I’m different. I sometimes find it challenging to understand others. It seems people perceive me as unusual. Being on the autism spectrum means I have a recognized disability.

In the course of my two-decade journey with MasterChef, I’ve often expressed my belief that the BBC didn’t offer sufficient aid to accommodate my particular needs throughout this period.

He explained that his unique way of thinking, which has since been officially recognized as autism, had long been observed and talked about among his colleagues during various episodes of MasterChef.

For two decades, no action was taken to examine my disability or ensure my safety within an environment that, looking back, was clearly hazardous.

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2025-09-10 14:40