Gregg Wallace and John Torode's 20-year friendship has reportedly been 'completely destroyed' by their MasterChef sackings. The former BBC co-hosts 'turned on each other when the ship went down', a new report has claimed, as the new series of the show, now fronted by Anna Haugh and Grace Dent, returned to TV last week.
Allegations and Dismissals
Gregg, 61, was dismissed by the broadcasting giant last July after an investigation into 83 historical allegations of workplace misconduct, with 45 accusations against him subsequently upheld. John, 60, was then given the boot after an allegation emerged that he had used 'extremely offensive racist language in 2018', which he claims to have 'no recollection of'.
Fallout and Silence
Now a new report has claimed that the pair no longer speak and are not watching the new MasterChef series. A source told The Sun: 'Neither of them watched the new MasterChef. It is all still too painful and raw. They're not over what happened.' The fallout from their sackings has been very sad for all involved. When the ship went down, they turned on each other. There was a lot of finger-pointing about who was to blame. John feels especially sore that he got dragged into Gregg's mess.'
The insider added: 'It is still very bitter and neither of them has been willing to pick up the phone. The silence between them is deafening and that is not going to change any time soon.' The source also noted that John's wife Lisa Faulkner has been his 'rock' during his 'year of hell'. Representatives for both John and Gregg have been contacted by the Daily Mail for comment.
Gregg Wallace's New Chapter
Earlier this month, Gregg revealed he is moving to Italy after being forced to sell his 'enormous' £1million Kent mansion following his BBC axing. The ex-broadcaster took to Instagram recently to confirm his 'new chapter' as he prepares to quit the UK to travel Italy with his family. Gregg further announced his plan to homeschool his young son, who is autistic and non-verbal.
However, Gregg's Italian adventure isn't the only home he is purchasing, as he revealed he is planning to buy a 'much more modest' house in Yorkshire, close to where his daughter lives. Speaking in a recent social media video, he said: 'We are decluttering the house and we are going to put it on the market. We plan to buy a much more modest house in Yorkshire where my daughter lives and then spend five months of each year in Italy.'
'My wife is Italian. I've always loved Italy and we plan to move around and rent in different places which is quite an adventure and with the help of my autism specialist mates, I am going to homeschool Sid as well. It is a new chapter for us. It is a life that should be full of travel and adventure and I'm very very much looking forward to it.'
The ex-BBC star plans to sell the 'enormous' home which sits on five acres of land along with its stables and pond. Gregg, who bought the home back in 2017, said he was making the move not only for a slower pace of life but also to ensure financial security for his younger wife Anne-Marie, 38, and son Sid, six, who has been diagnosed with autism.
He said: 'I can't have the life I used to have but whether you chose to believe it or not, I really wanted to come out of that anyway, but obviously not in the dramatic way that I did. I want to ease off a little bit, I want to relax a little bit. But that also comes with wanting financial security for me and my family because I've got a wife that is much younger than me and a special needs little boy, Sid.'
He went on: 'I want to relax a bit but I also want to make sure I can have a certain lifestyle and that I leave a legacy for my family. That's not easy to do. So my plan is to sell this enormous house and buy a more modest house. I'll work less and possibly spend half of the year in Italy making adventures for my family because we love Italy.'
Legal Proceedings
After his sacking, Gregg later sued the BBC and BBC Studios Distribution Limited for up to £10,000 in damages over allegations they failed to disclose his personal data, which caused him 'distress and harassment', before dropping his claim in February. A preliminary hearing into his claim for £10,000 in damages was cancelled shortly before it was due to take place on February 16, with a BBC spokesperson later confirming that Wallace had discontinued the claim. They said: 'Shortly in advance of a hearing, due February 16, Gregg discontinued his claim. He is not receiving any payment in costs or damages from either BBC or BBC Studios.'
Gregg began co-presenting MasterChef in 2005, but it was announced in November 2024 that he would step away from his role while the misconduct allegations were investigated. A review by law firm Lewis Silkin later upheld 45 of the 83 allegations against him, which mostly occurred between 2005 and 2018 and included one of 'unwelcome physical contact'. It said the 'majority of the substantiated allegations against Mr Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour', adding that 'a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated'. Gregg issued an apology saying he was 'deeply sorry for any distress caused' and that he 'never set out to harm or humiliate'.
