So after condemning his conduct, why did the BBC allow the MasterChef presenter to resume his high-profile role, provoking further allegations of inappropriate behaviour, until he was finally axed this week?
“After 2018 and persistent rumours, they should have been keeping a very close eye on Wallace,” said one BBC staffer.
On Tuesday Wallace was sacked as MasterChef presenter following an inquiry into alleged misconduct.
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Speaking ahead of the publication of a legal review into his conduct, Wallace admitted that he had behaved unsuitably during his time on MasterChef.
“I was hired by the BBC and MasterChef as the cheeky greengrocer. A real person with warmth, character, rough edges and all. For over two decades, that authenticity was part of the brand.
Banijay UK, the production company behind MasterChef which is leading the inquiry, said: “While the external investigation is ongoing, we won’t be commenting on individual allegations. We encourage anyone wishing to raise issues or concerns to contact us in confidence.”
What went wrong at the BBC
BBC insiders are particularly concerned about the handling of Wallace’s alleged behaviour since 2018, after Kate Phillips, who was then controller for entertainment commissioning, spoke to the presenter for 90 minutes to make clear what the BBC expected of him.
And she promised that action would be taken “to prevent a similar reoccurrence and to safeguard others in the future”. But further claims were made dating from 2018.
“Was he allowed to just carry on because of his status? Was she aware of any further complaints after 2018?”
The BBC said Philips was unaware of any claims prior to 2017 or any of the subsequent claims reported by BBC News.
But the BBC can’t just shrug off its duty of care, especially on a show that is a staple of its prime-time schedules.
Wallace and John Torode, pictures before what would be their final MasterChef season together in 2024 (Photo: BBC/Shine TV)Future of MasterChef
Food critic Grace Dent is said to have made a seamless transition to presenting Celebrity MasterChef alongside John Torode at the show’s Birmingham base.
The Wallace saga is another crisis for embattled BBC Director-General Tim Davie.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, an increasingly persistent critic of Davie, has said she wants broadcasters to work with a new independent standards watchdog which will give a voice to whistleblowers calling out bad behaviour in the creative industries.
He accuses it of failing to manage his neurodiversity and is making dark noises about exposing other people’s conduct and a “cover up” at the top of the industry.
Phillips is tipped as a successor to Davie. But her wings could be clipped if she is dragged further into the Wallace affair.
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