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”.
NHS says it’s battling with ‘worst case scenario’ as flu cases surge nationwide
Emily Sergeant
Flu hospitalisations have surged by more than half in just one week, plunging the NHS into the ‘worst case scenario’.
Shocking new figures have revealed that an nn average of 2,660 patients per day were in a hospital bed with flu last week, which is the highest-ever for this time of year and up 55% up on last week – which, when put into perspective, means there are enough flu patients each day to fill more than three whole hospital trusts.
NHS bosses have warned that the total has already increased sharply since the week covered by the data, and at this time, there is thought to be no ‘peak’ in sight.
These new figures come as demand for A&Es and ambulance services are already soaring.
The number of patients in hospital with flu has risen by over 50% in the last week, reaching a record number for this time of year – and numbers continue to grow.
New monthly figures showed that A&E attendances were a record for November at 2.35 million and more than 30,000 higher than November 2024, while there were 48,814 more ambulance incidents compared to last year.
The record-breaking demand also comes just ahead of thousands of resident doctors going on strike this week from 17-22 December – with ‘major disruption’ expected for patients ahead of Christmas.
The public are advised to attend any planned appointments scheduled during the strikes, unless they have been contacted to reschedule.
Primary and urgent and emergency care services will continue to be available for those who need them, during the industrial action.
NHS says it’s battling with the ‘worst case scenario’ as flu cases surge nationwide / Credit: Pxhere
The public should use 111 online as their first port of call for urgent but not life-threatening issues so that they can be directed to the best place for their needs, while patients who need emergency medical care should continue to use 999 or come forward to A&E as normal.
“With record demand for A&E and ambulances and an impending resident doctors strike, this unprecedented wave of super flu is leaving the NHS facing a worst-case scenario for this time of year – with staff being pushed to the limit to keep providing the best possible care for patients,” commented Professor Meghana Pandit, who is the NHS National Medical Director.
“Even worse, it continues to rise and the peak is not in sight yet, so the NHS faces an extremely challenging few weeks ahead.
“We have prepared earlier for winter than ever before, and stress-tested services to ensure people have a range of ways to get the help they need and avoid needing to go to A&E.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the flu surge as a ‘tidal wave’.
“We are working with the NHS to make sure it is able to cope with this as best as possible,” he concluded.
Featured Image – Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
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Erling Haaland dresses up as Santa and hands out Christmas presents in Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
Manchester City star Erling Haaland has doubled as Father Christmas in his latest YouTube stunt, dressing up as Santa and handing out presents to local kids in the new episode.
We’re starting to think he might be one of the most likeable footballers on the planet right now.
The Norwegian footballer recently surpassed Alan Shearer’s ‘fastest to 100 goals record’ in the Premier League and has been well and truly back to his best as Man City continue to rediscover their form, but the big blonde number nine has been delighting both on and off the pitch of late.
For starters, even before any of the season’s givings began, we got the giggle just from our first glimpse of the thumbnail.
Yes, Haaland definitely has a habit of leaning into the humorous side of his celebrity status, having already dressed up as the Joker for Halloween in one of the first episodes published on his still relatively new YouTube channel.
However, the 25-year-old got up to some more heartwarming activities this time around, swapping the face paint, green wig and stripey suit for a red coat, hat, some little glasses and a big white beard.
With the video itself showing him getting into character and loading his car with a sack full of presents, he then goes on to visit multiple houses to dish out the surprise gifts.
While the title and description state that he drove around the streets of 0161, it’s hard to tell where exactly he went, but we’d guess it was more around Alderley Edge and/or the Cheshire side of the Greater Manchester borders.
One particular interaction between the disguised Blue and a young Red certainly produced a harmless little bit of comedy…
Either way, on the whole, this particular instalment was more wholesome than it was funny, and it’s always nice to see sports personalities and famous people spreading kindness.
Obviously, not everyone can afford to be as generous as a Premier League and world-famous international athlete, but it’s nevertheless a nice touch.
Danny Jones -
4th December 2024 
