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PROBE STARTS
Top legal firm hired for Gregg Wallace probe as Penny Lancaster and Kirsty Wark asked to give evidence
Wallace recently returned to the public eye with a new venture
MASTERCHEF chiefs’ investigation into Gregg Wallace’s on-set behaviour has formally begun – with a series of women interviewed by law firm Lewis Silkin after being brought in by the show’s production company.
Sources say the first stage of the probe is now officially underway – with a string of women who complained about him including Rod Stewart’s model wife Penny Lancaster and broadcaster Kirsty Wark invited to attend to give evidence against the under-fire TV host.
Insiders say bosses at show makers Banijay UK are hoping to have the probe completed “as quickly as possible” but admit the process is “very time consuming” – due to the amount of material and lengthy time period involved.
It is not known which of the women have agreed to attend an interview.
The 60-year-old veteran grocer will also be asked for his own account of alleged incidents, alongside combing through vast amounts of archive footage and documents.
A TV source explained: “The lawyers spent a bit of time gathering their thoughts and making a plan before Christmas, and now they are conducting the interviews.
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“They have approached anyone who previously raised concerns, either with the BBC or with the production team, but have also made it clear that anybody with what they believe to be relevant information can also contact them.
“They are sitting down with women from all walks of life, some of whom have spoken out publicly and others who have not been named so far – ranging from junior producers to big name talent in their own right.
“It’s a huge operation – but it’s the only way to make sure no stone is left unturned and to protect the integrity of the show, which is still incredibly popular.”
Other witnesses who have not made allegations of their own are also being approached to give statements.
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Allegations over Gregg’s “inappropriate” behaviour first emerged in November last year, with the star later agreeing to step back from his role on the show pending the full independent inquiry.
But he has always denied wrongdoing – and found himself in further controversy after he attempted to put the complaints down to “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”.
Gregg Wallace reveals huge career move after MasterChef scandal derailed TV work
He later apologised for the remarks, and agreed to step away from the show for the time being, saying: “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 head space when I posted it. I’ve been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion, I felt very alone, under siege, yesterday, when I posted it.
“It’s obvious to me I need to take some time out while this investigation is under way. I hope you understand and I do hope that you will accept this apology.”
But he recently returned to the public eye via his Gregg Wallace Health platform – a £12-a-month subscription guide to healthier eating, diet and exercise after he himself transformed his physique.
On a blog published on the website, he wrote: “Just be mindful of all the decisions that we make throughout the day.
“Just ask yourself what you can do that will make each of these a little bit better.
“Mistakes are never the end of your journey. See them for what they really are, they are simply slip-ups, you are only human. If you learn a lesson from them that is a major step forward.
“Be kind to yourself. Just be aware that this isn’t the most important thing. The most important thing is to focus not on perfection but on progress.”
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