SHOCKING footage shows the moment Gregg Wallace told a contestant “I’ll munch the living daylights out of your little tart” on MasterChef.
The presenter, 60, has stepped down from the hugely popular BBC1 show following complaints from 13 people about historical allegations, including former Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark.
The clip from the 2013 series of Celebrity Masterchef shows him making a rude comment to comedian Katy Brand.
The scene shows Katy presenting an egg tart to Gregg and his co-host John Torode.
Gregg tells her: “I find this quite pleasant. Left to my own devices, I’d probably munch the living daylights out of your little tart.”
The Sun revealed how he previously came under fire after “inappropriate sexual comments” were reportedly made to a female staffer on Impossible Celebrities.
Following our article, several people contacted The Sun to speak about their unpleasant experiences with the presenter.
As many as 13 people who worked with Gregg across a range of shows over a 17-year period have now accused him of making sexual comments, the BBC confirmed yesterday.
One woman accused him of cracking a joke about rape during filming for MasterChef in 2017.
She said: “Gregg was accused of using inappropriate language while the cameras were on.
“He was also accused of making a joke about rape and someone raised a complaint.
“Gregg was then told to apologise about what he’d said. It was incredibly awkward and then it just moved on and no one talked about it again.”
It was also claimed last night that Wallace wandered naked into the MasterChef studio with a sock pulled over his privates.
Among the complainants is BBC Newsnight host Kirsty Wark, who said he told “sexualised” jokes during filming on Celebrity MasterChef in 2011.
The broadcaster told how she feels strongly that the comments were “really, really in the wrong place”.
She added: “I think people were uncomfortable. We were essentially a captive audience.
“People looked embarrassed and just got on with their work. I was actually more angry than anything else, because I thought it was so inappropriate.”
The telly presenter’s career was hanging by a thread after an investigation was launched into his alleged misconduct over a number of years.
One witness claimed Wallace came into the MasterChef studios starkers apart from a strategically placed sock before performing a “silly dance”.
They alleged that he was “very touchy-feely” and made “disgusting sex-related jokes”.
The ex-market trader — who has presented MasterChef since 2005 — is also accused of mimicking a sex act in front of a crew member.
The show’s production company Banijay UK yesterday confirmed an external investigation had been launched, with which Wallace and the BBC are “fully cooperating”.
BBC News — which runs independently of the BBC — said it had received complaints about Wallace dating from 2005 to 2022.
Wallace has also been accused of taking his top off in front of a female worker, saying he wanted to “give her a fashion show”, and openly discussing his sex life.
On one occasion he allegedly informed a junior female colleague that he was not wearing any boxer shorts under his jeans.
Wallace’s lawyers say it is “entirely false” that he engages in sexually harassing behaviour.
Production company Banijay UK yesterday confirmed he will be “stepping away” from the show.
It said: “This week the BBC received complaints from individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with presenter Gregg Wallace on one of our shows.
“While this review is under way, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully co-operating throughout the process.
“Banijay UK’s duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions.”
