Gregg Wallace has said he needs 'space to heal' after stating in an interview that allegations of inappropriate sexual comments against him were 'not all true'. The former MasterChef presenter spoke to the Daily Mail following a BBC News investigation that revealed claims from 13 people who worked with him across various shows over 17 years.
In an Instagram post after the interview, Wallace acknowledged there would be 'a lot of noise' but said he 'won't be joining in'. He wrote that he 'meant every word' of the interview, which he described as 'hard to do' but necessary for himself, his family, and his mother. He added that he now needed 'space to heal and be with the people who know who I really am'.
Wallace has faced further allegations of 'groping' and 'touching', which he strenuously denies. MasterChef's production company, Banijay, has launched an inquiry into the historical allegations. In his interview, Wallace said he had felt 'under attack' and had contemplated suicide, and criticised the BBC for not contacting him after the stories broke.
Wallace addressed specific allegations, including those from broadcaster Kirsty Wark, who accused him of telling 'sexualised jokes' during Celebrity MasterChef. He said he was unaware he had offended her. He also responded to claims from Vanessa Feltz and Kirstie Allsopp, and to Sir Rod Stewart's description of him as an 'ill-mannered bully', which he disputed.
Regarding an allegation that he walked around naked with a sock on his penis, Wallace admitted to putting 'a sock over my private bits' and opening his dressing room door shouting 'hooray', but claimed it was to three friends after filming had finished. He admitted some inappropriate jokes were 'probably true' but insisted he never groped anyone.
