Culture correspondent
Greg Wallace has been warned by one of the most senior barrister in the country that he did not say that women coming forward with claims are making things.
Barona Helena Kennedy’s comments, which chaired a watchdog to improve the standards of behavior in creative industries, more than 50 people come after contacting the BBC News with claims about the TV presenter, which they denied.
From an investigation to the allegations of misconduct against him by an independent law firm on behalf of MasterShef’s production company Banijay, it is expected to report back.
BBC News has not seen that report, but Wallace insisted that it has approved him “the most serious and sensational allegations”.
His comments revealed that he was dismissed as a mastersheph presenter as a result of an investigation into alleged misconduct.
As the face of BBC One Cooking Show MasterShef, Greg Wallace60, was one of the most high-profile presenter on British television for 20 years.
Defending himself on Tuesday, Wallace stated that he was “hired as a chutli greengroker. A real person with heat, character, rough edges and all”.
In an interview with Newsnight, Baroni Kennedy said that the public would have enjoyed watching the chutli chappu, but did not see his “ugly side”.
He said that if he had an advice for the presenter, it would not be to dismiss women’s claims.
He said, “There may be an opportunity for you to return to some point, but do not say that all these women have created this goods and do not say that all this has been invented,” she said.
Bairon Kennedy also criticized managers in the TV industry for quick dealing with the concerns related to the MasterShef presenter.
He said that if the managers appointed people who did not know how to behave, then it was the responsibility of taking them aside, and in the bud at the earliest, the issues.
“This was not done,” he said.
Wallace made a different step from MasterShef in November after our preliminary investigation at the end of last year, when 13 people accused him of making unfair sexual comments.
New claims come from those who say that they faced him in a series of shows and settings.
The majority say they made inappropriate sexual comments, while 11 women accuse him of inappropriate sexual behavior, such as groping and touching them.
A woman says that Wallace took her trousers in front of her in a dressing room, which she described as a “disgusting and hunter” behavior.
Another says that she felt “absolutely frightened” and “quite sick” when she shouted her.
Other people contacting us with new claims about the presenter include:
- A contestant in BBC’s Saturday kitchen – a show at that time that was manufactured by BBC in in -house – that, during a dinner ahead of filming in 2002, Volce put his hand under the table and on his waist, saying “Do you like that?”
- A university student who says that she met her in 2013 at a nightclub with friends. She says she asked to take a photo with her, she reached under her skirt and caught her and dropped her down.
- A woman who says, in 2014 by an industry ball, she put her hand up her hand and grabbed her
- Another junior activist, in addition to Alice, says that in 2012 he dropped his trousers in front of him and did not wear underwear
- Many men who say that they were watching Walless making improper sexual comments
- Recent claims, including a 19 -year -old MasterShef activist, say he tried to complain about his body’s comments about his body in 2022, and a former policeman who says he tried to raise the concerns about the sexual improper language of Wallace in 2023.
Allegations raise new questions for BBCs and other companies, which they worked about their safety practices and duties of care.
On Tuesday, Walse wrote a long Instagram post, stating that “the most harmful claims” were found to be baseless after a full and forensic six months of investigation “.
He said: “I will not go quietly. I will not be canceled for convenience. I was tried by the media and hanged to dry well before installing the facts.”
He accused the BBC as “pedaling baseless and sensational gossip mascaring as properly confirmed stories”.
Banijay UK said: “When external investigation is on, we will not comment on personal allegations. We encourage anyone to raise issues or concerns to contact anyone in confidence.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “Banjay UK directed the law firm Lewis Silkin to investigate the allegations against Greg Wallace.
“We are not going to comment until the investigation is completed and the conclusions are published.”
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