Ainsley Harriott defends ‘fantastic’ Gregg Wallace after sexual harassment allegations

Ainsley Harriott has defended Gregg Wallace as he faces allegations of sexual harassment.

The television chef and presenter said that he had a “great experience” during his time on Celebrity MasterChef and there was a “reason why” it is so successful.

Wallace, 60, announced that he has “stepped away” from the show after multiple allegations of sexually inappropriate behaviour.

These were made by 13 women, including the former Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark, as well as Wallace’s ghost writer, who claimed he sexually harassed her and made her sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Last week, he apologised for claiming that complaints about his behaviour came from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”, adding he will “take some time out”.

Weighing in on the controversy, Harriott, 67, said: “If you look at a programme that’s been successful for many, many, many years, there’s a reason why.

“The whole crew, including Gregg, was fantastic – I had a great experience.”

Despite complimenting the show, he admitted he would not want to replace Wallace as its host, adding: “It’s a tough gig.

“Judging food or judging anything is harder. But I’ve got kids – my daughter is 31 and she just turned around and said ‘it’s not for you, Dad, it’s for our generation’ and it really is.”

BBC bosses decided to pull its MasterChef Christmas specials after emergency talks, but opted to let the current series of MasterChef: The Professionals conclude as planned this week.

Harriott’s comments come after fellow cook Prue Leith recently said that Wallace should not be sacked and that he was simply “insensitive”.

She told Times Radio last week that she hoped “due process” would be observed to investigate Wallace before judgments were reached.

She added: “He should just stay off social media because he’s just digging himself deeper and deeper into a hole because he’s too insensitive to understand how offensive it is.

“But that’s his problem, that he’s insensitive. He hasn’t, that I can see, disobeyed the law. I don’t believe people should be cancelled or sacked.”

On Tuesday, the Culture Secretary threatened to take action over the “culture of silence” following the scandal.

Appearing before the culture, media and sport select committee, Lisa Nandy said: “Having spoken with the BBC in recent weeks about the Gregg Wallace allegations, I am really clear that we are seeing too many of these cultures of silence and issues being swept under the rug.”

On Wednesday, she will meet with the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, a watchdog set up to tackle harassment and bullying in TV and the arts.

Banijay UK, which makes MasterChef for the BBC, has said it is conducting an external review.

Wallace’s lawyers have previously strongly denied that “he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”.