JANE ATKINSON
I spent a day with Gregg Wallace – I feel sorry for his wife but actually think women should THANK him
The allegations against the MasterChef presenter include claims of sexual harassment
BECAUSE I’m a woman of a “certain age”, I unfortunately experienced behaviour just like the allegations against Gregg Wallace when I started out in my career.
Rewind about 25 years, when I was a junior reporter, and there was the photographer who on every trip together would put his arm around me and ask: “Do you think we could have sex?”
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The news agency boss who insisted on getting changed in my room, claiming it was the last one in the hotel, and dropping his towel.
I even had to work for a boss who stated — in front of a senior executive — that I’d never get far in journalism because my boobs were far too small.
It may have only been two decades ago but it was like a different world in many ways.
I, and many others, dealt with it by joking our way out of the situation then laughing about them behind their backs.
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Thankfully life is very different now.
We have changed with the times, the way men and women behave towards each other has evolved so much.
Many of us are so much more self aware.
Apart, that is, from the Neanderthal men who clearly haven’t grown up, as seems to be the case with Gregg Wallace.
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Ironically, in the long run many women — except those poor victims of his alleged disgusting attentions — may actually have something to thank Wallace for.
Because now some men “of a certain age” may sit up, take notice and have a good old think about how they may have made a woman feel and how they plan to behave in the future.
Dropped towel
John Torode breaks silence on MasterChef co-star Gregg Wallace accusations
The allegations against the MasterChef presenter include claims of sexual harassment, bottom groping, walking on set naked except for a sock on his penis and answering his door wearing only a towel, which he later dropped.
Mel Sykes says it led to her quitting her TV career, Kirsty Wark says he told “sexualised jokes” and Kirstie Allsopp says he made her feel uncomfortable but was “waiting for a male colleague to call him out”.
It appears John Torode tried to do just that.
John is understood to have been unhappy about his co-star’s on-set language and his reputation and complained to the MasterChef production company.
I assume that either fell on deaf ears or was brushed under the carpet by someone who wanted to protect the show’s big-bucks success story.
I have actually met Gregg Wallace.
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He was funny and kind, although he constantly told unnecessary jokes which made interviewing him become a real struggle.
None were inappropriate; maybe because we were at his home and his wife, her parents and their gorgeous little boy were there too.
Anne-Marie was lovely. Much quieter, and quite timid, in comparison to her loud husband but warm and friendly too.
As mums with sons the same age, we discussed nurseries and choosing the right primary schools.
She has not spoken out this week and I doubt she will, because Gregg was clearly the more outspoken of the two — the star who enjoyed the limelight while she quietly supported him.
As well as the other women in the Wallace saga, I really feel very sorry for her too.
But if it is true, I don’t feel sorry for Gregg because he was working in a modern industry where he really should have known better.
If he didn’t realise that his actions were ridiculously inappropriate then he’s an arrogant, smutty idiot.
This kind of behaviour was often brushed under the carpet in the Nineties.
But behaving like this should never have been acceptable.
And women should never have been made to feel it was.
Hopefully after Gregg’s apparent disgrace, there will be less innuendos in the workplace, ridiculous sexual jokes, bottom patting or men dropping their towels.
And the women of the future may have these revelations to thank for that.
KATE'S SHINING EXAMPLE
SINCE becoming a member of the Royal Family, Kate has been such an inspiration to so many.
As she held a candle – looking a picture of health at the Westminster Abbey carol service she helped arrange – the Princess of Wales also gave hope to all those battling cancer.
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She has had a horrific year but has come out of it smiling.
As the saying goes, it’s not about the cards you are dealt, but how you play the hand.
And by showing off her radiance and happiness, I am sure Kate will give families going through the same nightmare a bit of extra strength this festive season.
LEARN A HOME TRUTH
I AM baffled by any parent who lets their kids bunk off school because they are working from home.
According to Ofsted, there is a growing number.
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Kids are skipping large chunks of classes, especially on Fridays.
It is believed to stem from back in Covid days when the pandemic trained parents to be able to work with their children around.
Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: “Parents allowing children to skip school while they work from home are totally irresponsible.”
It is also utterly ridiculous and disrespectful to the teachers who are there to teach them.
I have a five-year-old, and when my after-school childcare failed recently at the last minute I had no choice but to try to keep him quiet with sweets and bribes while I tried – and failed – to work.
Any parent that brings that on themselves is either a better multi-tasker than me, or not actually doing their job properly.
CALL OF BOOTY
WHEN Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz Beckham are apart, they opt for “FaceTime sleepovers” so they can still virtually be next to each other all night.
They recently spent nine hours at it when he was working in Mexico.
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Isn’t that cute! They’re not alone, the trend is all the rage with Gen Z.
But as well as being the height of romance, I imagine there are plenty who do it just to make sure their other half stays stuck in their bed – without any visitors – all night.
FUSS IS UDDER FOLLY
I BET bosses at dairy firm Arla could kick themselves for boasting about the fact they are trialling a new feed additive in some farms.
It stops cows burping and farting, to tackle climate-heating methane emissions.
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Misinformation around it has led to some households around the country chucking their milk and Lurpak in the bin in horror.
There are unfounded fears over the health impact, even though trials have shown that once the feed additive is metabolised by the cows there is no trace of it left in the milk or beef.
I’m going to go with the experts and take the risk – and hope Arla reduces the utterly ridiculous price of its butter to gather back customers.
WE know David Beckham loves the limelight.
You only have to see that photo of him grinning as he enters his first State Banquet with Victoria at Buckingham Palace this week (while secretly hoping he lands that knighthood?!).
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But his less-regal actions show what kind of man he is.
He visited the home of Man United’s beloved receptionist Kath Phipps just before she died.
He paid tribute to the woman who looked after him from the age of 15 until the day he left Old Trafford.
Becks said he loved her. I bet it was a huge comfort for her to have him there near the end.
SO INN DENIAL
A HISTORIC London pub where Charles Dickens once drank could close for good because noise-shy neighbours have complained.
They say they are sick of people drinking outside, especially “women talking at the top of their voices”.
But the landlord of The Sekforde in Clerkenwell says that stopping al fresco drinking could be disastrous.
You’ve got to wonder who would move into a £2million house next to a pub in London’s Zone 1 and not expect any noise.
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Location, location . . .
Maybe it’s time for that move to the Cotswolds.
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