Gregg Wallace, the disgraced former host of MasterChef, has returned to social media months after stepping down from his position amid allegations of sexual misconduct. The 60-year-old TV personality, who had been a fixture on the BBC One cooking show for 19 years, broke his silence on Tuesday, sharing a video tutorial for making protein pancakes.
Wallace’s return to social media follows a turbulent period marked by multiple accusations of inappropriate behaviour by 13 individuals, including Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark, spanning a 17-year period. These allegations led to his resignation from MasterChef in November 2024, shortly before the claims became public. Food critic and I’m A Celebrity! star Grace Dent was brought in to replace him.
In the wake of the scandal, Wallace initially downplayed the allegations, suggesting they came from “middle-class women of a certain age.” However, he later issued an apology, admitting that he “wasn’t in a good headspace” when making the comments and expressed regret for his initial response.
Since the allegations surfaced, Wallace has remained largely absent from the public eye, with his last social media post being on November 24 — a day before the misconduct complaints were revealed. However, he reappeared on his social media channels on Tuesday, sharing a step-by-step video of how to make healthy protein pancakes. The caption read: “Easy n Healthy Gregg Wallace Health,” signalling his shift towards promoting health and wellness content.
Wallace’s comeback comes with the launch of his new venture, Gregg Wallace Health, a website he created after losing five stone. The platform offers a variety of resources, including healthy recipes, frozen food deliveries, and expert health advice. Wallace also used his blog to share an inspirational post, encouraging his followers to view mistakes as learning experiences rather than setbacks.
“Just be mindful of all the decisions that we make throughout the day,” Wallace wrote. “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.”
Despite his attempt to shift the conversation towards personal growth and wellness, Wallace’s past remains marred by the serious misconduct allegations against him. The accusations include claims of inappropriate comments about his sex life, physical interactions with female colleagues, and inappropriate behaviour on set. Some of the most serious allegations involve Wallace’s actions during filming of MasterChef and Eat Well For Less.
Former MasterChef contestant Emma Phillips-Jennings accused Wallace of repeatedly thrusting his groin into her face while she was crouching at an oven during filming in 2009. The alleged incident, which was reportedly captured by a camera crew but not included in the final episode, was described by Phillips-Jennings as “unprofessional and disgusting.”
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In addition to this, Wallace has been accused of inappropriately touching a woman’s bottom during a group hug in a lift in 2022 and pressing his crotch against a female colleague while filming Eat Well For Less in a supermarket in 2015. Furthermore, Shannon Kyle, Wallace’s ghostwriter for his 2012 memoir Life On A Plate, claimed that Wallace touched her bottom, rubbed her thigh while driving, and exposed himself in front of her.
The allegations have been widely condemned by public figures, with TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer among those who have spoken out against Wallace’s behaviour.
In response to the accusations, Wallace’s legal team has strongly denied the claims of sexual harassment, describing them as entirely false. They argue that Wallace’s actions were misrepresented, and that he did not engage in any behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.
Following the scandal, MasterChef producers confirmed that they had appointed a “rigorous” law firm, Lewis Silkin, to conduct an investigation into the allegations. The results of the investigation have not yet been disclosed.
As Wallace attempts to rebuild his public image through health and wellness content, his past remains a source of controversy. The outcome of the ongoing investigation into his alleged misconduct could have significant implications for his career and reputation in the public eye.
