Gregg Wallace lashes out at ‘middle-class women of a certain age’ for complaining about him amid ‘sexual comments’ probe

The BBC is under fire over its response to multiple complaints against a TV host accused of sexual harrassment including groping and lewd acts over 17 years.

Gregg Wallace has blasted “middle-class women of a certain age” for making complaints about him in a bizarre new Instagram post.

The MasterChef host is the subject of a probe after an investigation was launched into his alleged misconduct over a number of years, The Sun reports.

It comes after the TV chef was accused of making sexual remarks to 13 colleagues including Beeb presenter Kirsty Wark – accusations he denies.

Wallace, 60, has stepped away from the BBC show while historical misconduct allegations against him are investigated.

Now, Wallace has hit back against the accusations in another bizarre Instagram post.

He told his followers: “I have been doing MasterChef for 20 years – amateur, celebrity and professional MasterChef and I think in that time I have worked with over 4,000 contestants of all different ages, all different backgrounds and all walks of life.

“And apparently now I am reading in the paper there’s been 13 complaints in that time.

“In the newspaper I can see the complaints coming from a handful of middle-class women of a certain age just from Celebrity MasterChef.

“This isn’t right.

“In over 20 years of television, can you imagine how many women, female contestants, on MasterChef have made sexual remarks or sexual innuendo, can you imagine?”

Gregg Wallace from Lifestyle Food TV program 'Masterchef: The Professionals'.

Wallace also spoke out on his Instagram story this morning.

He said: “Look this is important to me. 20 years of doing Celebrity MasterChef, amateur or professional, Eat well for less.

“Do you know how many staff, all different sorts of staff, made a complaint about me in that time?

“Absolutely none. Zero. Seriously.”

The cooking show’s production company, Banijay UK, yesterday said law firm Lewis Silkin would lead the investigation into Wallace’s alleged misconduct.

The BBC said it would be inappropriate to comment on anything that could form part of Banijay’s investigation.

The probe was launched into complaints against him spanning 17 years.

Wallace’s lawyers say “it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”.

Gregg Wallace (L) and John Torode on the set of BBC reality TV show 'Masterchef UK'.

One witness claimed the former green grocer, 60, walked into the studio naked apart from a “sock over his penis” then did a dance.

They also said he mimed a sex act as a worker knelt to clean his trousers.

The Sun revealed one former contestant even alleged the MasterChef judge groped her while she was cooking on the set of the show as the cameras rolled.

Another woman claims Wallace told her in a busy pub that she aroused him, made more lewd comments and squeezed her bum.

In a third allegation, Celebrity MasterChef contestant Emma Kennedy yesterday claimed she had seen co-host Wallace grope a camera assistant during a photo-shoot for the 2012 finalists.

And a former staffer claimed he made offensive Asian remarks on set in 2017.

The Sun first reported Wallace’s behaviour last month.

On Thursday he stepped down while allegations of misconduct are investigated, while singer Sir Rod Stewart accused him of humiliating his wife Penny on the show.

Gregg thanked people for “showing their support” on a video posted to his Instagram on Thursday evening, and yesterday shared a bizarre image of a gingerbread man dunked into whipped cream.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission.