Gregg Wallace’s MasterChef replacement has reportedly been revealed with the BBC “poised” to make an official announcement in the coming week.
The 60-year-old presenter stepped back from the cooking show after twenty years, as various allegations emerged that he had made sexual comments to staff and guests.
Food critic and I’m a Celebrity star Grace Dent is said to be replacing Wallace in the coming days, according to reports. She regularly appears as a critic on MasterChef and is known for her straight-shooting comments.
“Grace is the perfect choice to replace Gregg on MasterChef,” a source told The Sun on Sunday.
“She’s knowledgeable about food and opinionated, plus it’s great to have a woman as a judge on the show. It will shake things up and give the series the boost it needs after such an upsetting and uncertain time.”
Dent, 51, as well as being a food critic is also a journalist, author and broadcaster. She dramatically quit her stint on I’m a Celeb last year citing “medical grounds”.
Reports suggest that Wallace’s replacement is to be announced imminently. Dent would be presenting the show alongside veteran host John Torode.
It was reported that the BBC had been made aware of complaints against Wallace as far back as 2017, while it was claimed that a letter had been sent to the broadcaster in 2022 stating that women had been made to feel “uncomfortable” in his presence.
A BBC spokesperson has said about the allegations against Wallace: “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 and we will always support them when addressing them.”
The BBC has since decided to cancel the pre-recorded Celebrity MasterChef festive specials, with BBC News reporting that the celebrity contestants involved in the episodes have been “spoken to about the reasons behind the decision to pull the show”.
