Richard Osman apologises for defending Gregg Wallace in the past as MasterChef presenter faces fresh allegations of inappropriate ‘sexualised’ behaviour

Richard Osman apologises for defending Gregg Wallace in the past as MasterChef presenter faces fresh allegations of inappropriate 'sexualised' behaviour

As a long-time fan and admirer of Richard Osman’s wit and charm, I find myself deeply disappointed by his recent apology for defending Gregg Wallace. I’ve always held Richard in high esteem, not just because of his brilliant trivia shows, but also due to his unwavering support for those he deems worthy.

Richard Osman has expressed his apologies for previously supporting Gregg Wallace, as new accusations against him have come to light.

In response to prior remarks regarding the MasterChef host, who is 60 years old, the comedian, aged 54, explained his reasons behind defending him.

13 individuals have brought allegations against Gregg concerning inappropriate and sexually suggestive conduct, allegations that he has refuted. This situation has led to an investigation being launched by the production company, Banijay UK.

In my latest podcast episode, I acknowledged my error of judgment regarding an individual whose lifestyle I previously criticized as monotonous. Previously, I defended his choice to lead a simple life, as I believe finding peace in simplicity is perfectly acceptable.

Furthermore, I inquired, and everyone who’s worked with him on the shows I’ve been part of spoke highly of him. Consequently, I found myself thinking, “Oh, certainly! It’s all good.

Previously this year, an article on the Daily Telegraph showcased Gregg, who shared that he keeps busy with low-intensity workouts and long gaming sessions. This resulted in him receiving criticism and jokes online.

Richard Osman apologises for defending Gregg Wallace in the past as MasterChef presenter faces fresh allegations of inappropriate 'sexualised' behaviour

Richard Osman apologises for defending Gregg Wallace in the past as MasterChef presenter faces fresh allegations of inappropriate 'sexualised' behaviour

Richard recently stated that he “didn’t learn about certain things” when they occurred, and furthermore expressed, “One might assume, divine one, one should always be cautious. I assumed, well, he was simply a larger-than-life character, and I wasn’t aware of the details.

‘But now, listen, I definitively understand, I have heard stuff. I apologise for that.’ 

The former MasterChef host, Gregg, is under new accusations regarding inappropriate sexual conduct following his resignation from the popular BBC cooking series last week.

On Thursday, the previous fruit vendor stated that he would take a step away from the program, as an inquiry into accusations of his misbehavior unfolds, having been associated with it for close to two decades.

Last week, Gregg was confronted with allegations of unsuitable conduct by thirteen individuals, among them being Kirsty Wark, spanning a timeframe of seventeen years and involving five different programs, between the years 2005 and 2022.

In response to those claims, his legal team stated emphatically that such accusations of him exhibiting sexually harassing behavior are completely untrue.

However, three more women have now come forward to tell BBC News about their experiences with him. 

As a lifestyle guide, I’d like to address some recent accusations that have surfaced. A woman has asserted that during an interaction with me, I inappropriately touched her. Another individual claims that on the set of BBC’s Eat Well For Less, I made unwelcome physical contact by pressing against her in a manner that was uncomfortable. Lastly, a third person has alleged that she witnessed an instance where I exposed myself in my dressing room. These allegations are serious and I want to make it clear that I take them extremely seriously. I am committed to ensuring a safe and respectful environment for everyone.

Richard Osman apologises for defending Gregg Wallace in the past as MasterChef presenter faces fresh allegations of inappropriate 'sexualised' behaviour
Richard Osman apologises for defending Gregg Wallace in the past as MasterChef presenter faces fresh allegations of inappropriate 'sexualised' behaviour

According to BBC News, they made the most recent allegations towards Gregg on Saturday, yet he has yet to respond. Both TopMob and us have reached out to his representatives, Banijay UK, and the BBC as well.

In a significant change of plans, the executives at BBC announced that they will not broadcast the MasterChef holiday specials, after initially stating that all pre-recorded shows would still air.

Lisa, who is not using her real name, is one of those making new claims. She worked on the BBC show “Eat Well for Less” in 2015. According to her, during filming at a supermarket, Wallace allegedly made inappropriate physical contact with her.

According to her claim, he accidentally bumped into her at the cashier, then intentionally made inappropriate contact by touching her lower back and groin area, followed by a lewd comment and laughter.

He responded differently than most people might have. Instead of saying something like “Oh, I’m sorry, can I squeeze through?” – which would have been fine – he did something else.

Lisa additionally states that she persisted with her work despite feeling uneasy, using the terms ‘uneasy’ and ‘disgusted’ to describe the situation. Furthermore, she mentioned discussing this issue with a superior colleague, yet no action was taken in response.

According to Banijay, there’s no evidence that this particular incident was ever brought up during discussions at RDF Television, the production company behind Eat Well For Less.

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2024-12-05 16:23

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