Sir Keir Starmer blasts Gregg Wallace for ‘completely inappropriate and misogynistic’ comments-Meghna Amin-Entertainment – Metro

Sir Keir Starmer has blasted Gregg Wallace’s comments (Picture: Getty/REX)

Sir Keir Starmer has blasted Gregg Wallace for his ‘completely inappropriate and misogynistic’ comments, following the allegations against him.

The MasterChef judge, 60, has stepped down from the BBC programme amid an ongoing investigation after several accusations were made.

He has denied all the allegations and later shared a statement claiming they come from ‘middle-class women of a certain age’, which has been widely criticised.

The Prime Minister has now stepped in, calling the comments defending his actions as ‘inappropriate and misogynistic’.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy held talks with BBC bosses in the wake of the Gregg Wallace row, Downing Street said.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘The Culture Secretary spoke with the BBC leadership at the end of last week on this matter and wider workplace culture issues to seek assurances that there are robust processes in place to deal with complaints.

‘Clearly the comments we have seen from the individual over the weekend were completely inappropriate and misogynistic.

‘More broadly the BBC is conducting an independent review into workplace culture which must deliver clear and timely recommendations. It’s essential that staff and the wider public have confidence that the BBC takes these issues seriously.’

Asked whether MasterChef should be pulled off air, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘As we said last week, these allegations are obviously deeply concerning.

‘It’s right that a thorough investigation is conducted. Obviously that’s for the BBC and the production company.’

Wallace has stepped back from MasterChef amid the investigation (Picture: BBC/Shine TV)

Asked why the Culture Secretary had spoken to the BBC about the row, the spokesman said: ‘I think, in the context of the allegations that are obviously widely publicised, but also more broadly in the context of the BBC’s independent review into workplace culture, I think she was seeking assurances and an update on the review.

‘The Government is clear that that review must deliver clear and timely recommendations, as it’s essential that staff and the wider public have got confidence that the BBC are taking these issues seriously.’

Wallace has been accused of making ‘inappropriate sexual jokes’ and lewd comments on set, asking for the phone numbers of female members of production staff, and undressing in front of and standing ‘too close’ to women working on his shows.

Wallace has been accused of making ‘inappropriate sexual jokes’ and lewd comments on set (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

It’s also claimed that he ‘mimicked sex acts’ and walked around the studio almost ‘completely naked’, with more than 13 people across a range of shows over a 17-year-period making complaints.

Addressing the accusations in a post on Instagram on Sunday, Wallace said: ‘I’ve been doing MasterChef for 20 years, amateur, celebrity and professional MasterChef, and in that time, I have worked with over 4,000 contestants of all different ages, different backgrounds, all walks of life.

‘Apparently now, I’m 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.’

Wallace has faced backlash from the likes of Lorraine Kelly and Ulrika Jonsson for his comments (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

In a second video, he added: ‘In 20 years, 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?’

He then claimed ‘absolutely none’ of the people he had worked with on his shows had made a complaint about him in a third Instagram video.

Several stars making allegations against the former Inside The Factory presenter include Kirsty Wark, Ulrika Jonsson and Katy Brand.

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

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