TV chef Rick Stein has said he feels “a bit sorry” for Gregg Wallace, who recently stepped down from presenting MasterChef amid a string of misconduct complaints.
The 78-year-old restaurateur described Wallace’s situation as “unfortunate” in a new interview, whilst clarifying he had no “skeletons in a cupboard” himself.
Wallace stepped back from the hit BBC One cooking show as production company Banijay UK investigates claims of alleged misconduct.
Stein, who has known Wallace professionally, said his fellow TV personality was “just a different personality to me” and suggested he had struggled to adapt to changing times.
“I think partly he hadn’t really taken on that you can’t say certain things now. It’s not so much that he was a nasty person,” Stein told The Telegraph.
The veteran chef credited his sons for helping him navigate changing social norms: “I’m lucky that I’ve got sons who will instantly tell me, ‘listen, you can’t say this’.”
“Sometimes you think, ‘I can’t believe this’, and then you think ‘well, that’s the way it is’. There’s no point in getting all stroppy about it,” he added.
While expressing sympathy, Stein distanced himself from Wallace’s alleged conduct: “I feel a bit sorry for him really.
“But I don’t like sleaziness so I’m not saying that about all of Wallace’s behaviour. But he just didn’t realise that the wind had changed.”
The BBC pulled two MasterChef celebrity Christmas specials from its schedule in December 2024 following the allegations against Wallace.
Food critic Grace Dent is set to judge the forthcoming 20th series of Celebrity MasterChef alongside John Torode, replacing Wallace.
BBC bosses have stated they will not “tolerate behaviour that falls below the standards we expect” and will continue to champion “a culture that is kind, inclusive and respectful.”
A memo sent to staff by BBC director-general Tim Davie and chief content officer Charlotte Moore confirmed the corporation would be supporting MasterChef producer Banijay UK in its investigation.
The most recent series of MasterChef: The Professionals continued to air last year amid the allegations.
Among those to speak out against Wallace was Sir Rod Stewart, who in November branded him a “bully” and accused him of “humiliating” his wife Penny Lancaster during her appearance on Celebrity MasterChef.
Lancaster later appeared on Loose Women, saying she was both witness and victim to “some of the bullying and harassment behaviour” from the TV host.
“I really feel that he used his position of power to, I believe, intimidate and cause distress to a lot of people on set,” Lancaster said.
Wallace later apologised after suggesting the allegations came from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”, with his remarks being branded “inappropriate” and “misogynistic” by Downing Street representatives.
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Wallace’s lawyers have strongly denied the allegations, telling the BBC “it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”.
Earlier this month, Banijay UK issued a statement addressing their production protocols: “MasterChef welfare processes are regularly adapted and strengthened and there are clear protocols to support both crew and contributors.”
The production company confirmed multiple reporting channels are available: “These include multiple ways of reporting issues, including anonymously.
“HR contact details are promoted and contributors are assigned a point of contact on set available to discuss any issues or concerns.”
