Gregg Wallace has claimed he is sorry for hurting the 41 people accusing him of being ‘a sex pest’.
The former Masterchef host, 60, tearfully pleaded ‘I’m not a groper, a sex pest or a flasher’ in his first interview since the BBC axed him following complaints from multiple women over several years.
The former TV show host added that he feels unfairly treated and claims he has been discussed in the same breath as sex offenders Jimmy Savile and Huw Edwards which he says has taken a toll on him and his family.
He told The Sun that he understood some of his actions may have offended people and ‘weren’t socially acceptable’ but denied being a ‘wrong-un’.
The 60-year-old stepped down from the hit BBC cooking show after complaints were made about his behaviour and following a report into his conduct, 45 of 83 complaints were upheld.
Wallace also backed his former Masterchef co-host John Torode, claiming: ‘He’s not a racist’ and said his biggest regret was ever venturing in to TV work, adding his life was much better when he was a greengrocer.
The ex Eat Well for Less? presenter told the newspaper that while he didn’t deny being guilty of some of the claims – which included dropping his trousers in front of staff and using inappropriate innuendos – he believed things had been ‘perceived incorrectly’.
He said his actions were the result of learned behavior and workplace culture, adding: ‘In a room of 200 people, one person complained about my knob joke. It sounds a lot, but you have to consider that I don’t work in an office.’
Wallace’s comments come after it was revealed that the BBC would air its amateur 2025 series of MasterChef.
In the nine months since the hit BBC programme finished filming last Autumn there have been questions over whether it would ever be broadcast following allegations of inappropriate behaviour against presenters Wallace and Torode.
Now the corporation has revealed that the amateur series of MasterChef filmed last year, before allegations against Gregg and John were upheld, will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from August 6.
The MailOnline understand that the BBC have told the MasterChef production company Banijay that the show should reduce Gregg and John’s screen time to a minimum in light of the report’s findings.
The corporation has revealed that the amateur series of MasterChef filmed last year, before allegations against Gregg and John were upheld, will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from August 6
The MailOnline understand that the BBC have told the MasterChef production company Banijay that the show should reduce Gregg and John’s screen time to a minimum in light of the report’s findings
The BBC said it had taken the decision to broadcast the unaired series ‘after careful consideration and consultation with the contestants’
A source said: ‘The BBC have made it clear that it should limit the amount of airtime the presenters have in the editing of the new series, with a bigger focus on the contestants who are at the heart of the competition.’
‘Neither Gregg nor John will appear in BBC iPlayer thumbnails and they will not be doing any promotional activity around the latest series.’
‘All of the brilliant new contestants were consulted on whether the series should be broadcast, and no one objected.’
‘Everyone involved is very keen to promote the hard work of the contestants and that will be our priority.’
The BBC said it had taken the decision to broadcast the unaired series ‘after careful consideration and consultation with the contestants’.
In a statement, the corporation said: ‘MasterChef is an amazing competition which is life-changing for the amateur chefs taking part. The focus of it has always been their skill and their journey.’
The BBC also said it had not yet taken a decision on the completed celebrity series and Christmas special, filmed with Torode and food critic Grace Dent.
In its statement, the BBC said: ‘This has not been an easy decision in the circumstances and we appreciate not everyone will agree with it.
‘In showing the series, which was filmed last year, it in no way diminishes our view of the seriousness of the upheld findings against both presenters. We have been very clear on the standards of behaviour that we expect of those who work at the BBC or on shows made for the BBC.
‘However, we believe that broadcasting this series is the right thing to do for these cooks who have given so much to the process. We want them to be properly recognised and give the audience the choice to watch the series.’
The BBC boss Tim Davie revealed last week said that he had to ‘weight it up carefully’ in light of a damning report into the cookery competition which upheld 45 complaints against Gregg
The MailOnline understand that the BBC have told the MasterChef production company Banijay that the show should reduce Gregg and John’s screen time to a minimum in light of the report’s findings
The BBC concluded its statement by describing MasterChef as ‘a brilliant, much-loved programme which is bigger than any one individual’.
‘There are many talented, dedicated and hard-working people who make the show what it is. It will continue to flourish on the BBC and we look forward to it returning stronger than ever in the future.’
But some people are not happy with the decision, including former workers on the show.
While former contestants on the show previously said that being on MasterChef can be ‘life-changing’ for them.
Some of the women who came forward with claims against Gregg have said they didn’t think it should be shown.
One former MasterChef worker told BBC News it would show ‘a real lack of respect’ to people like her if the series was aired, while another warned it would ‘make a mockery’ of the people who have spoken out.
