Former MasterChef star Gregg Wallace has declared himself the victim of a "terrible injustice" as his legal battle against the BBC intensifies. The television presenter, who was dismissed from the hit cooking show alongside co-host John Torode, is now pursuing the broadcaster in the High Court.
The Core of the Legal Dispute
Wallace is suing the Corporation for access to unredacted copies of his personal data following his sacking in July. This legal action, which could lead to a separate, more substantial claim, is currently focused on a data breach. He is seeking up to £10,000 in damages for alleged "distress and harassment" caused by the BBC's failure to comply with his request for information related to his work and conduct.
Speaking about the case, Wallace revealed his legal team's perspective. "They have picked it up and gone: 'this is a terrible injustice. A terrible, terrible injustice,'" he said. He quoted them as stating the investigation cleared him of the most serious allegations: "'here's an investigation that says you're not groping, you're definitely not flashing, you're not sexually harassing, you're not bullying anybody. So why are you in this position and who is responsible for it?'"
Autism and the 'Dangerous' Studio Environment
The potential second legal action is expected to centre on Wallace's autism diagnosis, which he received at the beginning of last year. He argues that the BBC failed in its duty under the 2010 Equalities Act to protect him as a person with a disability.
Wallace has explained how his neurodiversity, combined with the intense atmosphere of the TV studio, contributed to his conduct. He described how directors would "whip you up" for energy, leading to an unscripted environment where the "chances of tripping up and saying something inappropriate is really high." He claimed that humour was a mask for his condition and that laughter from crew members at the time made him believe his comments were acceptable.
"Nobody around me complained at the time, and there was no complaint after 2018," Wallace stated, adding, "nobody at the time told me it was wrong. In fact, they kept giving me more TV shows to do." In a previous statement, he accused the BBC of quietly burying its failure to investigate his suspected disability, calling the MasterChef set a "dangerous environment for over 20 years."
Substantiated Claims and Broader Fallout
Wallace's dismissal followed an independent Lewis Silkin review that upheld 45 out of 83 allegations against him. These included complaints of inappropriate sexual language and humour, one instance of unwelcome physical contact, and three reports of him being in a state of undress. While he has apologised for any distress caused, he has vehemently denied being a "sex pest" or a "groper."
The BBC has firmly defended its position. In its High Court defence, barrister Jason Pobjoy KC stated the Corporation denies Wallace suffered any distress or harassment due to its actions and that he is "not entitled to any damages." The BBC declined to comment on his latest remarks.
The fallout from the investigation also led to the dismissal of co-presenter John Torode, after an allegation of using an "extremely offensive racist term" was upheld. Torode has said he has "no recollection" of the incident. Furthermore, the charity Ambitious About Autism dropped Wallace as an ambassador following the initial claims.
Dan Harris, of Neurodiversity in Business, offered a nuanced view, noting that autistic people "may miss social cues sometimes," but emphasised that "autism is not a free pass for bad behaviour." He warned that comments conflating the two could stigmatise the neurodiverse community.
