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The Wanted’s Max George brands Gregg Wallace’s sexual misconduct allegations ‘very serious’ as he laments BBC pulling plug on MasterChef Christmas special – after John Torode breaks his silence

BBG News

As a seasoned observer of public figures and their tumultuous lives, I find myself both intrigued and saddened by the ongoing saga of Gregg Wallace. It seems that every time we think he has hit rock bottom, he manages to dig himself deeper into a hole.

Max George expressed his dismay after the BBC decided to cancel the 2024 MasterChef holiday editions, due to persistent sex misconduct accusations against Gregg Wallace.

Last week, the 60-year-old judge and chef on MasterChef announced that he would be taking a step back from hosting the show temporarily, as an inquiry into accusations of misconduct against him is being conducted.

13 individuals have alleged that he engaged in unacceptable and sexually suggestive conduct on set, including an incident where he reportedly walked onto the set naked except for a sock covering his genitals. Additionally, three women employed within production have claimed that he inappropriately touched them during filming.

Max, aged 36, was scheduled to feature in the debut holiday-themed episode of MasterChef, where he’ll be joining actors Amy Walsh from Emmerdale, reality personality Luca Bish, and comedian Shazia Mirza on the show.

In response to the BBC’s choice not to air The Wanted’s Christmas specials, their lead singer expressed his disappointment via Instagram on Wednesday night, acknowledging that it involved a ‘serious and important investigation.’

Posting a picture of him during the MasterChef Christmas special wearing the iconic white apron, he commented: “I was excited for the MasterChef holiday edition, but it’s clear that other, more urgent issues take priority.

In response to numerous expressions of sympathy and encouragement from his followers, someone posted: “It’s really disappointing that due to a specific person, individuals like you on the program can’t showcase their appearance for us to see.

Overjoyed by his words, I can’t help but echo, “No worries at all! I’ve got faith that you’ll be gracing the kitchen once more real soon. After all, it’s crucial we give due regard to such a serious passion ❤️”.

However, it should be noted that despite Max having competed in Celebrity MasterChef last year and finishing in fourth place, he suggested that he didn’t encounter any adverse events during his time on the show. A viewer expressed their condolences, writing: ‘I’m sorry about what transpired, I hope you’re okay x’.

The singer simply replied to the comment: ‘it’s nothing to do with me. ❤️’

Apart from him, there was another who felt deeply about the termination of the unique individual. Specifically, Luca, a 23-year-old, voiced his dismay on Instagram, stating he felt “disappointed” by the decision and proclaimed: “It seems like Christmas has been cancelled.

The television personality posted: ‘This year, Christmas seems uncertain as our special episode has been postponed. Fingers crossed we’ll be back entertaining you shortly!’

On Tuesday, it was revealed that the BBC decided to remove two popular holiday specials, Celebrity MasterChef’s Christmas Cook-Off and Strictly Come Dancing’s Festive Spectacular, from their upcoming holiday lineup.

The cancelled program was titled “MasterChef Meets Strictly Festive Extravaganza,” which was scheduled to include Amy Dowden, Gorka Marquez, Kai Widdrington, and Nancy Xu from Strictly Come Dancing. Motsi Mabuse had planned a challenge for this event.

The choice signified a significant reversal for the BBC, as they had earlier announced their intention to keep broadcasting every filmed episode of MasterChef.

Yet, the corporation argued that the celebrity Christmas specials were “clearly a distinct kind of program,” when explaining their choice to cancel them.

It’s clear that the celebrities concerned are being discussed about the causes leading to the programming adjustments, while the content on iPlayer remains unaltered.

Max’s post was posted not long ago, following John Torode, another MasterChef judge, speaking out about the current uproar. He made clear that he appreciates being involved with the program and plans to keep doing so.

On Tuesday afternoon, the 59-year-old chef shared his sentiments on Instagram, expressing that the recent news articles were deeply troubling for him. He further stated that it’s disheartening to imagine anyone associated with our program didn’t have a fantastic time during their tenure.

Instead, he conspicuously chose silence when it came to defending his embattled fellow host, an act that reportedly left Gregg feeling enraged. It’s said that he has since unfollowed his former colleague and his wife Lisa Faulkner on Instagram.

For the past 19 years, John has co-hosted the BBC One cooking show with Gregg. Recently, he shared: “Starting from last Friday, I’ve been out of town filming MasterChef abroad. I adore my profession, and I have a deep affection for MasterChef. Being a part of it brings me joy, and I will remain involved in the future.

Over the past few days, I’ve been devotedly working on creating an exceptional cooking show. The process of producing the program and looking after our competitors has left me with scant moments to ponder on other matters, yet it’s proved quite challenging.

However, I want to clarify that a probe is ongoing, one which I endorse wholeheartedly. Consequently, I’m unable to provide additional information at present. I trust you’ll comprehend and honor my discretion regarding this topic in the future.

Even though they’ve been working together since 2005, there were stormy undercurrents in Gregg and John’s relationship off-screen, which contrasted with their convincing camaraderie on the show.

Despite serving as Gregg’s best man at his fourth wedding to Anne Marie in 2016, it is known that they have had an argument so intense that filming for MasterChef was halted in the past. Moreover, John himself has acknowledged that their friendship has never truly existed beyond this formal role.

After John’s wife, Lisa, asserted that Gregg repeatedly told offensive jokes during the filming of MasterChef, their relationship undoubtedly became more challenging.

After facing criticism, the BBC aired the semifinal episode of MasterChef: The Professionals, with the controversy surrounding its co-host, Gregg, still ongoing.

Previously, the ex-greengrocer has chosen to recuse himself from MasterChef at the BBC until investigations concerning suspected misbehavior are thoroughly examined. However, Gregg’s legal team asserted that it is completely untrue that he engages in any behavior considered sexually harassing.

However, another setback for Gregg occurred when Channel 5 took down Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekends Away from their streaming service My5 following allegations of inappropriate conduct by Gregg while filming the program.

In addition to the BBC canceling some shows, Channel 5 has likewise taken out scheduled reruns of Gregg Wallace’s Copenhagen Christmas Market and Gregg Wallace’s Lapland Christmas Adventure from their holiday lineup.

Staff members made claims regarding Gregg’s conduct during Channel 5’s Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekends, which were examined in an investigation by BBC News. Producer Rumpus Media stated they are looking into accusations of unsuitable behavior towards Gregg.

One woman said that while making Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekends in 2019, he became ‘fascinated’ by her relationships with women and wanted to know the ‘logistics’ of her sex life.

During her work on Channel 5’s program simultaneously, it was frequently noted that Wallace’s discussions frequently centered on sexual topics, encompassing themes like spanking and dominance.

Another female colleague from the program, referred to as Amanda by BBC News, claimed that Gregg exhibited pictures of a woman in her undergarments during a car ride, an act he is said to have done.

Additionally, she remembered an incident where he supposedly removed his shirt and proposed a makeshift fashion show in his hotel room while they were trying on clothes, with both her and a fellow coworker present, following the completion of filming activities for the day.

As my colleague stepped out, I couldn’t help but share with BBC News my peculiar predicament: ‘Being in a room all by myself with a bare-chested acquaintance just feels odd.’

A colleague from the Channel 5 travel program alleged that he behaved disrespectfully towards women.

She shared with The i that he was incredibly impolite and boorish throughout the entire production. His behavior was downright rude, and there was a strong undercurrent of misogyny. He often ignored instructions from female directors.

5 Channel stated they are giving the accusations great importance, and that the production company Rumpus is examining the charges. In response, Rumpus stated: ‘We have zero tolerance for inappropriate conduct during our productions.’

Subsequently, there’s been a continuous wave of criticism following Gregg’s Instagram post on Sunday, where he passionately denounced claims that were primarily made by some older, middle-class women.

On Monday, Gregg expressed regret and apologized for any distress or hurt his weekend statement may have caused, explaining that he was not in a good mental state when he shared it as he had been dealing with a significant amount of stress and emotional turmoil, feeling isolated and overwhelmed the day he posted it.

He mentioned: ‘To me, it seems clear that I must step aside during the ongoing investigation. I trust you can comprehend, and I offer my sincere apologies.’

His apology occurred following widespread criticism, as Downing Street deemed his reaction to the allegations as both inappropriate and sexist.

Others have branded the video a ‘classic’ non-apology.

The speaker expressed regret following the uproar sparked by his contentious Instagram posts during the weekend, attributing the mistake to an excessive workload and intense feelings.

The U-turn came hours after an insider told TopMob he had ‘gone rogue’ and was ignoring ‘all advice’ about how to salvage his TV career following the scandal.

Gregg expressed his regret for any offense he may have unintentionally caused with his post yesterday, as well as the distress he might have inadvertently inflicted on many individuals.

TV psychologist Jo Hemmings posed the question: “In what instances does an expression of remorse not truly constitute an apology? An example could be Gregg Wallace seemingly apologizing for his past misogynistic remarks to save his career, but without any genuine feelings of regret about his persistent inappropriate behavior over a longer period.

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2024-12-04 23:22

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