Dame Prue Leith claimed TV executives have been “very weak” amid the Gregg Wallace furore, adding that they should be “tough with their presenters”.
On Friday, BBC bosses said they would be supporting MasterChef production company Banijay UK as it investigates allegations of misconduct against Wallace, after he stepped away from hosting the BBC One cooking show.
In a message sent to staff, director-general Tim Davie, and Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s chief content officer, said the corporation will not “tolerate behaviour that falls below the standards we expect”.
The Great British Bake Off star Dame Prue told Cathy Newman on Times Radio that she believed TV executives are “very weak” when managing talent.
“For goodness sake, they can replace Gregg Wallace. They can replace anybody. So they should be tough with their presenters,” the 84-year-old said.
“They should be very clear about whatever the rules are. I do think they’ve been weak.
“But I don’t want to say that he should be sacked because I don’t know what the crime is.”
Dame Prue said she understands the decision for Wallace to “step aside while they investigate things” but does not agree that people “should be cancelled or sacked”.
At the start of the week, Wallace apologised for claiming complaints about his behaviour came from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”, adding he will “take some time out”.
His lawyers have previously strongly denied “he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”, according to BBC News.
“He should just stay off social media because he’s just digging himself deeper and deeper into a hole because he’s too insensitive to understand how offensive it is,” Dame Prue said.
“But that’s his problem, that he’s insensitive.
“He hasn’t, that I can see, disobeyed the law. I don’t believe people should be cancelled or sacked.
“I can see why you would ask somebody to step aside while they investigate things, which I suppose is what they’re doing.
“But I think the tragedy in this is that I bet you Gregg has no idea what he’s done wrong.”
Dame Prue also voiced concerns that the industry could be inundated with “boring” presenters if it becomes “too regulated and too organised” because “nobody will ever dare say anything”.
“And that’s silly too,” she said.
“But I think broadcasters need to know. It is very tricky because I do a little programme on ITV on Saturday morning and it’s a cooking programme and every now and again, the production company will say, don’t say that because it’ll be offensive and I think that it’s not offensive.
“And then I suppose that’s a Gregg Wallace thing. Maybe I don’t realise. I mean, for example, language changes all the time.”
Earlier this week, Banijay UK said in a statement: “It is important to note that MasterChef welfare processes are regularly adapted and strengthened and there are clear protocols to support both crew and contributors.
“These include multiple ways of reporting issues, including anonymously. HR contact details are promoted and contributors are assigned a point of contact on set available to discuss any issues or concerns.”
This week, the BBC announced it was pulling a Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook Off special and a MasterChef Strictly Christmas special from its December TV schedules amid the controversy.
