Gregg Wallace latest: Kirstie Allsopp slams 'sex act' remark amid ...

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy held talks with BBC bosses to seek assurances that “there are rohbust processes in place to deal with complaints” in the wake of the Gregg Wallace row, Downing Street has said.

Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesperson said that Ms Nandy “spoke with the BBC leadership at the end of last week on this matter and wider workplace culture issues”.

Downing Street has condemned Gregg Wallace’s remarks characterising those who have complained about his alleged comments as being “middle-class women of a certain age”.

Asked about Wallace’s remarks, Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesperson was cited as saying by the Telegraph: “On this, 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 but I would add that 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 the complaints.

“And as you know clearly the comments that we’ve seen from the individual over the weekend were completely inappropriate and misogynistic.”

A BBC source has said it would be wrong to report that the broadcaster has not acted when complaints have been raised.

The source said: “While we are not going to comment on individuals or any internal HR processes, particularly when there is an ongoing process in place being run by Banijay who have the direct contractual relationship with Gregg Wallace, it would be wrong to report the BBC has done nothing if or when matters have been raised with us – not least because it is already being widely reported there were interventions in both 2017 and 2018 where action was taken.

“We continue to urge caution about pre-judging any of this, particularly the involvement of BBC staff members and any inference they have not acted appropriately.”

BBC executive Kate Phillips raised concerns in 2017 that Gregg Wallace’s behaviour was “unacceptable and cannot continue” after former Celebrity MasterChef contestant Aasmah Mir complained about inappropriate comments during filming, the Sunday Times has reported.

The newspaper claimed Wallace then received another warning the following year after a complaint was raised about his behaviour on the quiz show Impossible Celebrities.

As the BBC faces pressure to pause future broadcasts of MasterChef while the allegations of inappropriate sexual remarks by Gregg Wallace are investigated, is understood that all filmed episodes will go ahead as planned.

A BBC spokesperson said: “We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them. We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.

“Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them.

“It would be inappropriate for us to comment on anything that could form part of Banijay’s ongoing investigation or otherwise influence it.”

A former Celebrity MasterChef contestant has said Gregg Wallace’s reaction to the accusations being made against him shows he has “no insight or understanding of how he behaves”.

Addressing Wallace’s response to the accusations, Scottish TV presenter Aggie MacKenzie told Good Morning Britain: “This illustrates how he just has no insight or understanding of how he behaves. He just doesn’t get it.

“He’s been allowed to carry on in his own sweet way for many, many years.”

A Tory frontbencher has suggested that the BBC must examine how complaints against its stars are dealt with.

Shadow paymaster general Richard Holden told Sky News: “Quite clearly there’s a lot of issues facing the BBC over this. He’s been a star presenter for a number of years, and quite clearly a lot of this stuff’s been mentioned before.

“And so this needs to be properly looked at, not just around his behaviour, but around how things are dealt with when things are mentioned as well.”

Asked whether the BBC should pull its MasterChef Christmas special, Mr Holden said: “This is going to be a decision for them as far as a broader view. I think it’s really important that they look at this.”

Headlines relating to the claims against Gregg Wallace and his remarks that they have come from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age” were splashed across multiple newspaper front pages today.

The Daily Mirror’s headline reads “DisasterChef” in a story focusing on his “middle-class women” remarks.

The Metro’s headline reads: “Women of a certain rage”, while the Mail claims the BBC was aware of four complaints about Wallace.

The Sun and Telegraph both also focus on the backlash to his remarks, with The Guardian also carrying the story on its front page.

And the Daily Star features “cut out and keep crisis management advice for anyone called Gregg”:

Former MasterChef contestant Aggie Mackenzie claims host Greg Wallace was “allowed to tell smutty jokes” during filming.

Ms Mackenzie, who appeared on the Celebrity version of the show in 2011, told Good Morning Britain on Monday: “The jokes were always smutty, they were endless and he seemed to be allowed to carry on in this way.”

Lucy Leeson has more details:

MasterChef star says Greg Wallace was ‘allowed to tell smutty jokes’ during filming

Former MasterChef contestant Aggie Mackenzie claims host Greg Wallace was “allowed to tell smutty jokes” during filming. The presenter left the BBC programme on Thursday (28 November) after 13 people made claims that he made a number of inappropriate sexual comments. In a video posted on his Instagram page, the 60-year-old said: “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.” Ms Mackenzie, who appeared on the Celebrity version of the show in 2011, told Good Morning Britain on Monday (2 December): “The jokes were always smutty, they were endless and he seemed to be allowed to carry on in this way.” A BBC spokesperson said “any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated”.