STRONG WOMEN
Countryfile’s Anita Rani slams Gregg Wallace over ‘middle-class women’ comment and says they’re ‘fierce as f**k’
Shamed Gregg said his comments were made while he was under immense stress
COUNTRYFILE star Anita Rani has slammed MasterChef's Gregg Wallace for lashing out at "middle-class women" amid his misconduct probe.
The under fire TV star, 60, took to Instagram yesterday and described 13 complainants, who have reported his alleged inappropriate sexual comments, as "women of a certain class and age".
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Presenter Anita, 47, took aim at Wallace's comments on her own social media page.
She shared: "It's important to remember that many middle class women of a certain age grew up as working class girls who were, and are, fierce as f**k. With long memories."
Her criticism came shortly after Gregg apologised for his rant against his accusers.
Former MasterChef host Gregg said he'll "take time out" during a probe into his alleged sexual comments on the show.
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He said: "Now I’ve been doing MasterChef for 20 years. Amateur, Celebrity and Professional MasterChef.
"In that time I’ve worked with over 4,000 contestants of all different ages, all different backgrounds and all different walks of life.
"Now I’m reading in the paper that there have been 13 complaints in that time.
"I can see them coming from a handful of middle-class women of a certain age just from Celebrity MasterChef. This isn’t right.
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"Over 20 years of TV, can you imagine how many women on MasterChef have made sexual remarks or sexual innuendo?"
But he has now posted an apology on his Instagram account - saying he was under a "huge amount of stress".
He said: "I want to apologise for any offence that I caused with my post yesterday and any upset I may have caused to a lot of people..
"I wasn't in a good space when I posted it. I've been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion."
In the post this afternoon, he added: "I felt very alone and under siege yesterday when I posted it.
"It is obvious to me I need to take some time out while this investigation is underway.
"I hope you understand and I do hope you will accept this apology."
Wallace stepped back from the BBC1 cooking show last week after complaints about inappropriate behaviour over a number of years.
It has emerged that the BBC was warned about Gregg's sexist behaviour at least five times over seven years.
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BBC officials carried out an HR investigation in 2018 and spoke to the star multiple times about inappropriate comments.
Insiders told the that the BBC seeks to "manage risk" rather than deal with reported problems, leading to "monumental f***-ups".
One said: "The priority is always to protect those most important to them."
The BBC said: "We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them.
"We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.
"Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company we share any complaints or concerns with that company."
A spokesperson added: "We will always support them when addressing them.
"It would be inappropriate for us to comment on anything that could form part of Banijay’s ongoing investigation or otherwise influence it."
Celebrity MasterChef 2012 winner Emma Kennedy said she reported Wallace’s behaviour to a member of the production team but did not know if it was taken any further.
Gregg Wallace - MasterChef scandal in Brief
GREGG Wallace has stepped down from his MasterChef hosting role after a probe into alleged inappropriate behaviour. But what's the situation?
Regular MasterChef host Gregg Wallace is currently the subject of a probe after an investigation was launched into his alleged misconduct over a number of years.
Gregg has been accused of making sexual remarks to 13 colleagues including Beeb anchor Kirsty Wark - accusations he denies.
The 60-year-old has now stepped away from the BBC show while historical misconduct allegations against him are investigated.
Yet the former greengrocer spoke out on social media to blast the "women of a certain age" who he claimed were behind the allegations.
The cooking show’s production company, Banijay UK, has said law firm Lewis Silkin would lead the investigation into Wallace’s alleged misconduct.
Georgia Harding, a MasterChef producer from 2014-15, said she raised concerns about his behaviour but nothing was done.
In 2017, radio broadcaster Aasmah Mir went on the celebrity version and sent an email to Kate Phillips, now head of unscripted TV for the BBC, about Wallace’s inappropriate comments.
In 2018, Wallace was reportedly issued with a formal warning by the BBC following an HR probe.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
In 2022, director and producer Dawn Elrick said she sent a letter to the corporation with a number of anonymised accounts from people alleging Wallace acted inappropriately.
The Sun on Sunday told how a Nestlé executive had written to the BBC with concerns about Wallace’s behaviour while filming a 2023 episode of Inside The Factory.
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