Greg Wallace suspended

MissInterpreted

Fleurpepper

His apology just doesn't work, does it!

No it doesn't, and I may be cynical, but I suspect he's only done it in a desperate attempt by his PR team to try to salvage something from this whole cluster****!

Totally agree. It was said with little emotion or expression.

When is an “apology” not an apology?

“I am sorry if anybody took offence….hmm . “
I remember my mother saying “Say you are sorry as if you mean it “
Greg would do well to heed such advice.

Probably was forced by his Agent or Solicitor to do so.

On Masterchef the Professionals, when they cook for the "Chefs Table" I always think that all those Michelin starred chefs must be sitting in their taxis hoping they're not going to be at the table with the plonker and wondering how he actually gets to be there in the first place.

I don’t think his apology works either, but it is an apology and made in public.

It might serve a purpose in reminding people that it isn’t just inappropriate behaviour, but inappropriate language that is unacceptable. It might even nudge people into not brushing reports aside, but investigating and dealing with them immediately instead of years down the line.

Regardless of whether you think he’s a git, or you’ve always known he’s a creep, or whether you simply don’t like his on-screen persona, the question is
Should he be excused and allowed to continue in view of his past offences even if he’s acknowledged them and apologised?

Grown up women are dealing with it. They are saying that it is not acceptable and it needs to stop. The feelings of boorish men are not more important than the feelings of women of any age or class.
I do agree though that it should not be headline news.

Grown up women are dealing with it. They are saying that it is not acceptable and it needs to stop.
Exactly

His remarks were misogynistic, sexist and were harassment, the women targeted did deal with it and it was reported but ignored for years.
Probably they could deal with it as some on here suggest, but that does not make it any less acceptable. They reported it too, in the hope that the BBC would do something about him so that other women, perhaps more vulnerable than them, would not be targeted.

“I am sorry if anybody took offence….hmm hmm.“ Is not an apology.

Looks like Greg’s legal advisor told him to stop being such a loud mouthed arse - excuse the language - and to start on damage limitation.

Indeed, should have said 'I am sincerely sorry my words naturally caused great offence'

@mollygo

‘Should he be excused and allowed to continue in view of his past offences even if he’s acknowledged them and apologised?’

I think with everything that has gone wrong for the beeb with dodgy presenters/strictly coaches/news readers, I think it will be nigh on impossible for Greg to be let back in the fold.
Perhaps the beeb should instead hold up exacting standards for all those paid big wages to entertain the masses, with the least hint of anything amiss robustly investigated rather than ignored. I can’t believe that staff involved on Master Chef including Tirode didn’t know what Gregg was like. This should have raised red flags and been dealt with.

That’s the real problem isn’t it, Babs03, Wallace is another sexiest, misogynistic, sexually obsessed man who doesn’t even hide in plain sight- he does exactly what he feels like doing.
People (women) challenge him, report him and he might get a talking to but it’s water of a narcissists back.
There is either deliberate misunderstandings or many people still don’t understand the connection between poor personal boundaries, sexualised comments and behaviour and abuse. Men who behave as Wallace/Brand and co do in a public/professional setting behave very badly elsewhere. The more they get away with, the more their behaviour escalates

Babs03
I can’t believe that staff involved on Master Chef including Torode didn’t know what Gregg was like.
It seems unlikely.

This should have raised red flags and been dealt with.

Exactly. That needs to be general practice for the future.

I think with everything that has gone wrong for the beeb (and with other TV channels) with dodgy presenters/strictly coaches/news readers, I think it will be nigh on impossible for Greg to be let back in the fold.^
I agree, and if they did decide there was a spent time after which he or others were forgiven, that offence would always be there in people’s minds, reflecting badly on the employers’ judgement.

I’ve long believed there is something inherently sleezy about much of Light Enteryainment

Just to remind that Masterchef (and some other programmes) was not made by the BBC "in house" it was a separate production company. different place, different colleagues, different employers.

Not to say that the BBC shouldn't have listened to complaints, but its different from news readers.

I cant see any major TV channel being prepared to air him/back in the fold either.

Watching now, hard to listen to him and watch his grinning face.

Wyllow3

Just to remind that Masterchef (and some other programmes) was not made by the BBC "in house" it was a separate production company. different place, different colleagues, different employers.

Not to say that the BBC shouldn't have listened to complaints, but its different from news readers.

I cant see any major TV channel being prepared to air him/back in the fold either.

Production Company is Banijay and Endemol Shine UK.

banijayuk.com/shows/

'Felt very alone, under siege'....OK then Gregg

...so you felt just like the women then?

Freya5

petra

Oreo

I just can’t understand , when a person becomes a tv celebrity they think they can say anything they like.

Greg Wallis was a creep before he became a celebrity.

Did you know him well then. Or just your perception?

Anyone else remember him on Radio 4? He co-presented a programme called Veg Talk for 7 years a long time ago. His Wikipedia page makes interesting reading.

Oh Happy day! If it is the end of Masterchef and all of it’s celeb spin-offs - that is a good result.
Cannot stand that man and his yawpy cockney barrow boy voice.
Now just get rid of Dragons Den, The Apprentice and East Enders ! Bingo!!

Dibbydo I agree. Not necessary the banter but very normal. Are they all snowflakes and cannot give as good as they get? In my early career I encountered it all the time but a was quite able to cut the perpetrators down to size. I know times have changed but he was a barrow boy and that backchat has always been his persona.
Quite a few contestants have said they did not get anything but friendliness and politeness.

I find him very annoying but he is very much part of the show.

banter ? The allegations include sexual harassment of women, including young assistants.

It does everyone a disservice to dismiss the offence he caused as some kind of cheeky Chappie fun persona

I had intended to watch Masterchef last night but just found Greg too much.

I really like both Marcus Waring and Monica Galletti; I enjoy their care in prepping and presenting food.
I feel sorry for the contestants in the current series as their achievements are inevitably shadowed by the Greg situation.

Quite a few contestants have said they did not get anything but friendliness and politeness.

Oh well that's ok then. Never mind his lewd and completely unacceptable behaviour towards the others.

Plus his indignation that out of all the thousands he has worked with, only a handful have complained about his sexually laden behaviour. I would be absolutely mortified if just ONE person had complained about my unacceptable behaviour in 40 odd years of working!

Sorry, but attitudes like 'oh it's just banter, he's a cheeky chappie' are exactly why so many women don't report sexual harassment or assault.

Iam64

banter ? The allegations include sexual harassment of women, including young assistants.

It does everyone a disservice to dismiss the offence he caused as some kind of cheeky Chappie fun persona

True.
The forgive-all phrase ‘was just a bit of banter’ doesn’t wash in this century, making sexually inappropriate and misogynistic remarks cannot be given the swerve anymore, thank goodness. Greg being a barrow boy has nothing whatsoever to do with it, Gary Lineker worked on a market stall as a boy but he doesn’t descend to this level.
There are no excuses.