The allegations against Gregg Wallace continue to mount as the former MasterChef host is now facing fresh claims of ‘groping’ and inappropriate ‘touching’.
Wallace stepped down from the show last week after pressure from an initial accusation ultimately resulted in a total of 13 individuals coming forward to lodge formal, historical complaints.
Spanning across a 17-year period, with the 60-year-old having worked on MasterChef and other TV projects for nearly two whole decades, these latest allegations were put to his representatives on Tuesday but Wallace still strongly denies engaging in anything of a “sexualised nature”.
According to the latest in the BBC News investigation, he is now accused of numerous instances of both sexually-charged comments and behaviour. Actor, comedian, writer and fellow TV personality Emma Kennedy also says she believes he “does not understand” when he’s being inappropriate.
“As she was bending over, Gregg put his hands over her buttocks, and then turned to me and went ‘Cor!’”@EmmaKennedy tells #TimesRadio she believes Gregg Wallace “fundamentally does not understand” when he is being inappropriate.@AyeshaHazarikapic.twitter.com/xqzwfQsDGz
Speaking to the corporation, one woman referred to only as ‘Lisa’ says that while filming for the Eat Well For Less show at a supermarket back in 2015, Wallace “brushed past me at the checkout, and touched my bum with his waist and penis and laughed and said ‘oooh you liked that didn’t you’.”
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Despite insisting she felt like she just had to get on with her job at the time, she says: “I wasn’t ok about it. When I finished the shoot, I felt it was slimy, disgusting. He just didn’t need to touch my body, it made me uncomfortable.” She also says she raised the issues with a senior colleague but nothing happened.
In a separate incident, Wallace is also accused of touching another woman inappropriately after he asked her to walk him to the car park after an event. “As we walked down, he started putting his arm around me, saying ‘Go on, hold my hand, don’t you want to stand next to me?’ It was totally out of the blue, and totally unwanted”, she said.
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The anonymous woman said she was later pulled into a group hug in an elevator, during which she claims the long-serving MasterChef co-presenter and household name “put his hand on my bottom and groped me”, adding, “It made me feel gross, it was horrible.”
She went on to say that although she still struggles to see his face on TV and feels “sad that so many people are coming forward”, she’s also relieved that so many have spoken out about their experiences.
MasterChef production company, Banijay UK – who are working in full cooperation with the BBC as part of their own internal investigation – state they have no record of these issues being raised at the time of the incidents, reiterating that this is the case for all 13 women who have now filed complaints.
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Banijay and BBC have agreed to pull the two already recorded 2024 MasterChef Christmas special episodes that were scheduled to air on BBC One this month.
Meanwhile, while Wallace is still yet to respond to these most recent allegations, he still categorically denies the claims already put forward.
The former greengrocer and restaurant owner did, however, apologise for a recent response video he made during which he received additional backlash for citing those who complained as “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age” – a comment which a No.10 official branded “misogynistic”.
Women can now get the ‘morning after pill’ free on the NHS at high street pharmacies
Emily Sergeant
Women can now get the ‘morning after pill’ free of charge on the NHS in high street pharmacies across England.
As part of a major expansion of pharmacy services announced by the NHS in what is said to be the biggest change to sexual health services since the 1960s, the oral emergency contraception pill is now available for free to women from almost 10,000 pharmacies across the country without needing to see their GP or get an appointment at a sexual health clinic.
The initiative is part of a wider package of support for community pharmacies, helping people to get the care they need in ‘convenient’ and ‘familiar’ settings.
Dr Sue Mann, who is an NHS National Clinical Director in Women’s Health called this move a ‘game-changer’ in making reproductive healthcare more easily accessible for women.
“Instead of trying to search for women’s services or explain their needs, from today women can just pop into their local pharmacy and get the oral emergency contraceptive pill free of charge without needing to make an appointment,” she added.
From today, women in England can get the emergency contraceptive pill for free from pharmacies, without needing a GP appointment.
This is part of ongoing work to expand NHS services through community pharmacies.
Free morning after pills aren’t the only change to pharmacies’ services this week, as people who have been newly prescribed antidepressants will also be able to seek additional advice and support about their medication and healthy lifestyle changes from their local pharmacist too.
As well as over-the-counter support and treatment for minor health concerns, community pharmacy services can also supply medicines to treat common conditions.
All of these changes follow a record funding boost by the Government to pharmacies of £617 million over two years, which is supported by Community Pharmacy England.
“This is a major step forward that removes barriers of access to reproductive care that have let women down for too long,” commented Minister for Care, Stephen Kinnock.
“Pharmacies play a central role in communities, trusted by local people and easy to access [and] that’s why it’s vital there are a wide range of services and medications available.
“These changes will make it easier for people to get the advice and medications they need, while also reducing unnecessary pressure on GPs.”
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Salford Red Devils granted another adjournment over unpaid debts
Danny Jones
Salford Red Devils have been given one more adjournment and yet another stay of execution, being given another two weeks to find the money to cover their unpaid debts.
The local rugby league side, which has been wrapped in all manner of struggles both on and off-pitch over the past year or so, reportedly needs to pay around £700,000 to HMRC alone and still owes roughly £5 million in total to various creditors.
To no surprise, regular matchgoers, neutrals and even rivals alike have expressed their continued disappointment with the club, mainly at the lack of transparency and clarity from the organisation throughout this long, drawn-out process.
This is coming from a wire fan but no club deserves to be left in the dark even longer than they already have done it’s nothing but a disgrace to the sport of rugby those owners and the court should be ashamed of themselves.
Updating fans on social media, this is all the information they have communicated at this time: “Salford Red Devils can confirm that HMRC have granted the club a two-week adjournment, providing additional time in which to secure the necessary funds.
“We would like to reassure supporters that we are working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a positive resolution. Further updates will be shared as soon as possible.”
It’s worth noting that the current owners have reiterated that they inheited around £3m in existing debt before they took over the club, but assurances over their own investments have still come to nothing; meanwhile, with many still waiting on wages, players and staff alike have now left.
Having been propped up by loan players and emergency loans, the team is now closer to a skeleton crew than it is an outfit capable of competing in the premier division.
Either way, the outrage remains and is only growing stronger. One user wrote on X: “A good approach by them if they was legit would be to engage and bring in The 1873 to bridge the communication black hole (they created).
“The problem with that is if they did it would expose them for what they are… Extortionists using the club as a vehicle.”
More alarm bells were raised recently when assistant coach and Krisnan Inu – who was also director of the company set up to take over the business – withdrew himself from a key position behind the scenes.
Speaking of The 1873, the outspoken supporters trust took no time at all in issuing a response of their own, adding: “The judge presiding over today’s case has adjourned by 14 days. This adjournment has dragged the uncertainty on even longer.
“Every delay makes planning for 2026 harder and keeps the club stuck in limbo when it desperately needs clarity and direction.
“The fans, the players and the future all deserve better — The 1873.”
You can see the rest of their statement in full down below, but for now, what do you make of this seemingly neverending saga, Salfordians?
Danny Jones -
4th December 2024 
