John Torode’s TV career is said to be “hanging in the balance” after his exit from MasterChef over an upheld allegation that he used a racist term.
ITV will continue to air John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen – the show Torode presents with his wife Lisa Faulker – as planned this Saturday, The i Paper understands.
Torode was sacked from the BBC’s flagship cooking programme for using the N-word during after-work drinks, reports claim.
But the 59-year-old star denies using the term and says he had “no recollection” of any such incident.
ITV could decide to “brazen it out” and carry on with the show if no further claims about the presenter come to light, TV insiders said.
But the channel is likely to take a “wait-and-see” approach and could still decide not to renew the programme for any future series if the storm does not pass, industry sources added.
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“ITV could still brazen it out,” believes Steven D Wright, veteran TV producer and former Channel 4 commissioner.
He said: “They are definitely in a tricky position, because he [Torode] denies this happened, so it doesn’t seem to be a case of apologising and everybody moving on.
“They could decide to wait and see if there is more to come out about him [Torode]. They will also wait if there’s complaints about his programme being aired.
“They may be hoping it will blow over and the audience don’t think one remark – whether it happened or not – is the crime of the century. They could decide not to commission a new series if it seems too difficult.”
Torode was axed from Masterchef earlier this week after an investigation in Gregg Wallace’s behaviour by law firm Lewis Silkin upheld a standalone complaint about Wallace’s co-host using a racist term.
The presenter said he had “no recollection of the incident” and does “not believe that it happened”. The chef also said he had been told that “the person I was speaking with did not believe that it was intended in a malicious way and that I apologised immediately afterwards”.
Two individuals close to the Silkin report claimed the substantiated allegation was use of the N-word, The Times reported. BBC presenter Richard Osman also said, on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, that the upheld claim was around “the worst racial slur there is”.
Chris Reed, chief executive of Restless Communications, who has 25 years experience in crisis PRs, said it may still be possible for Torode to continue on ITV. “I suspect it will be easier for John Torode to reappear on our screens than Gregg Wallace,” said.
However, the 59-year-old British-Australian TV star faces the challenge of “finding a way of drawing a line under it”, added the PR expert.
“Best practice in this area is to apologise, be seen to learn lessons from it and step back into life after time. But it’s more difficult for John Torode because he denies this [alleged use of a racist term] has happened.”
Reed said: “I don’t think this is going to go away. So he has to address, in a more head-on fashion, what the allegation was and how he feels about it. Whatever he says, it would be best to take a humble, measured tone.”
Celebrity PR specialist Kayley Cornelius said: “His TV career hangs in the balance.” She added that ITV “appear to be offering him a lifeline for now”, but believes that “could change at the drop of a hat” if further claims came to light.
TV insiders said the BBC would find it easier to move on from the saga than either of the axed Masterchef hosts.
John Silver, the veteran producer who rebooted Masterchef back in 2005 with creator Franc Roddam, believes it marks a chance for a major refresh. “I’m not in any way celebrating what’s happened. But there is a great pool of people to draw on and refresh the programme,” he said.
“I don’t think they need star presenters. They need to be knowledgeable and passionate about food. If they don’t have a professional background in food, it might feel quite nasty if they’re telling people off.”
Torode’s representative and ITV were approached for comment. MasterChef producers Banijay UK said it would not be commenting further on the reports.
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