Gregg Wallace : Another report

I agree ziplock. This is an utterly depressing post. The victim shaming is shocking. GWs behaviour is shocking. This is 2024 not 1960. These were women and men subjected to unpleasant and inappropriate behaviour and comments in a workplace ....where they should feel safe.

Oh, "banter".

The type a council workman did when he cornered my 13 year old daughter, and asked her if she was a virgin, and if she had a boyfriend.

Really amusing, coming from some repulsive old fart, old enough to be my dad, let alone hers.

What is being forgotten here by some, or not understood or even deliberately ignored, is that many of these young women were too frightened of the repercussions if they spoke out at the time (I’m thinking of the more historic cases going back several decades), or of even being believed.

Attitudes by some males were quite different, probably because it was normalised back then to say and do things which today would be called out and condemned. It was probably viewed as banter and women should just have to accept it as such.

Thankfully, it’s becoming more and more possible to speak out now, to be listened to, heard and believed and for action to start to be taken - there’s still a long way to go, and sadly some people still have the attitude that it’s ok to treat people in this way and there others who still believe the victim somehow “asked for it” (as evidenced by some of the comments on this thread).

I’m aware, too, that there are male victims of unwanted attentions.

It takes courage to speak out, and so some victims have been afraid to do so, but as they see others doing so it they, too, feel braver to also speak out.

I find some of the comments on this thread utterly disgusting in their victim shaming tone.

This thread makes me wonder just how many girls/women would sooner say nothing than come up against the attitudes they'd face from family and/or friends.

@GrannyNannyWanny. It was “uncovered” if that is the right word by the BBC news team - presumably Kirsty Wark’s mates, so I guess they wanted to blow their own trumpets

some of these people victim blaming attitudes are sadly still found among some older women.
They don't seem interested in educating themselves about the issues.
Some have asserted that they don't know anyone who's been harassed. I pointed out that maybe for some obscure reason the people who have been harassed didn't feel comfortable confiding in them.
What is the age limit for jury service now?

Crossstitchfan

What I don’t understand is why these things take years to surface. If the victims are uncomfortable about speaking up, shouldn’t they perhaps look to themselves when things go pear-shaped? I am not condoning the pests at all but I do think victims are their own worst enemies by keeping quiet. If they spoke up at the time, the problem could be addressed. What do they hope to achieve after 20 years? Also, they should feel guilty - by not speaking up at the time, they have allowed other women to suffer all these years. Shame on them!

Wow, just wow...

A lot did complain at the time but it was swept under the rug

Well said ……

Crossstitchfan

What I don’t understand is why these things take years to surface. If the victims are uncomfortable about speaking up, shouldn’t they perhaps look to themselves when things go pear-shaped? I am not condoning the pests at all but I do think victims are their own worst enemies by keeping quiet. If they spoke up at the time, the problem could be addressed. What do they hope to achieve after 20 years? Also, they should feel guilty - by not speaking up at the time, they have allowed other women to suffer all these years. Shame on them!

Money, it's always abotu money.

NonGrannyMoll

"Upskirting What the hell is that all about. ???" I was a comely young woman in the 1970s and men trying to look up your mini-skirt when they sat opposite on you on the train was a common thing. They just didn't have mobiles/cameras then to record what they saw - which was actually not very much when you compare it to what's on tv quite legally these days. I think it's partly those double standards which lie at the heart of the current debate about men's behaviour. I'll be shouted down for this but I do think women have to accept a certain amount of responsibility for the way they're perceived. (This is a general comment, by the way, not an opinion on the Gregg Wallace case, about which I know zilch except that some women have pointed a finger at him.) In the 70s I wore see-through blouses, mini-skirts, hot-pants, jumpsuits split from neck to navel, etc, and yet I got indignant if a man treated me like a cheap & easy conquest! Girls work very hard at achieving their overall "look", all the while paying scant regard to what kinds of male reaction that "look" can inspire. We can't make ourselves look like hot stuff and at the same time expect every man on earth to know that we aren't up for casual grabs. We can't effectively argue that "men ought to behave better" when we present an image which encourages some of them to behave in a less than gentlemanly manner. You don't have to dress like a nun, you just have to refrain from exposing your bits and wiggling your rear end as you teeter along on "f-me" heels. I heard a comedian talking about girls who go "out on the razz" at weekends dressed like ladies of the night. "It must be really annoying for the real street-walkers, trying to make a living when there are so many girls out doing it for nothing," was one of his lines, followed by, "Of course, it's hard for the men, too, not knowing which are which." He gave me food for thought, anyway, as does the current media trend for showcasing women dressed (or should I say undressed) in a certain suggestive way. And no, I've never been an admirer of Mary Whitehouse, if that's what you're thinking!

I so agree with your post. You expressed how I feel beautifully. Thank you

My only complaint about Greg Wallace was that he wasn’t a cook.
Shocking that there appears to be more issues, but amazing how he’s got away with it so long, judging by all the feelings on here.
Perhaps it’s time for us to report any uneasiness about TV personalities as soon as we feel uneasy, to protect potential sufferers and to let them know that they’re supported.

What I don’t understand is why these things take years to surface. If the victims are uncomfortable about speaking up, shouldn’t they perhaps look to themselves when things go pear-shaped? I am not condoning the pests at all but I do think victims are their own worst enemies by keeping quiet. If they spoke up at the time, the problem could be addressed. What do they hope to achieve after 20 years? Also, they should feel guilty - by not speaking up at the time, they have allowed other women to suffer all these years. Shame on them!

bikergran

Is anyone surprised! it's the BBC.

Its not made by the BBC, he is not employed by the BBC, its a production company Banijay UK, and whats happening is that the BBC are taking action against the company, who are "investigating it"

Gregg Wallace is to step away from presenting MasterChef while allegations of historical misconduct are investigated, the show's production company has said.

It comes after BBC News sent a letter to Wallace’s representatives on Tuesday setting out allegations of inappropriate sexual comments by 13 people who worked with him across a range of shows over a 17-year period.

Broadcaster Kirsty Wark, who was a Celebrity MasterChef contestant in 2011, said he told "sexualised" jokes during filming.
Wallace's lawyers say it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.

Masterchef's production company Banijay UK has launched an investigation and said Wallace is co-operating

Retroladywriting

Not surprised at all. He's always given me the heeby jeebies.

Me too! I remember telling my husband years ago that Wallace gave me a weird feeling (and not in a nice way!). My friends are now saying the same. He is a nasty piece of work but he will get away with it, you’ll see!
I hate to say it but I’m not happy about Torode either. A weird pair.

Is anyone surprised! it's the BBC.

I do so agree with you NonGrannyMoll.

In our house we refer to him as The Dog. He seems to do nothing on those Masterchef shows except snuffle around the food and eat anything he can get hold of.

I know of a young woman who recently went for a drink with a man she met at work.

It turned into quite a fun, drunken night, and they really seemed as if they may well be seeing each other again, and building a relationship.

He walked her to her apartment block, insisted on coming in, and raped her.

The case has just been dropped due to lack of evidence, but it has had a terrible effect on her, her confidence, her whole life.

I think many of us know why many women didn't make a big fuss, it wouldn't be the men that got into bother it would always come down to victim blaming
GW I'd just typical of many men of his age, and older ( and am sure younger), the difference with him is that somehow getting onto TV and being treated as a celebrity has shown him that he can behave as badly as possible and nothing will happen.
We had to put up with so much for heavens sake and sometimes we had to put up with sexist bullying etc just to keep the job.
I know some who did speak up and it got them nowhere. If it did go to court women were dissected, how their behaviour ( which was usually just behaving like a female) led the man on or their clothing was to blame or anything else that could be used against them. The stress of such cross examination I can well believe put people off taking things further

GW is yet another reason why I seldom watch BBC tv. He was always an instant turn off. I’m very glad he’s gone.
I worked in a brewery office in the 60s. Add together the entitled and largely substandard ‘management’, the old boys club, the travellers coming back drunk from their hard -drinking days, it was sometimes a very unpleasant place for a teenager to work.
If we had complained, we would have been sacked. There were no women in any authority.
There was a pension scheme, I was told no women at all were allowed to join it although several were very long term members of staff. We forget how much things have improved, but sadly there are still entitled dinosaurs who think they can get away with anything.

MillieBoris

If he’s so ghastly why is the programme so popular. Wallace has admittedly become a little up his own rear end but I always felt it was a good blend of personalities.

I can only assume that your perv/ creep detector is defective.
I’d get it checked if I were you.

"Upskirting What the hell is that all about. ???" I was a comely young woman in the 1970s and men trying to look up your mini-skirt when they sat opposite on you on the train was a common thing. They just didn't have mobiles/cameras then to record what they saw - which was actually not very much when you compare it to what's on tv quite legally these days. I think it's partly those double standards which lie at the heart of the current debate about men's behaviour. I'll be shouted down for this but I do think women have to accept a certain amount of responsibility for the way they're perceived. (This is a general comment, by the way, not an opinion on the Gregg Wallace case, about which I know zilch except that some women have pointed a finger at him.) In the 70s I wore see-through blouses, mini-skirts, hot-pants, jumpsuits split from neck to navel, etc, and yet I got indignant if a man treated me like a cheap & easy conquest! Girls work very hard at achieving their overall "look", all the while paying scant regard to what kinds of male reaction that "look" can inspire. We can't make ourselves look like hot stuff and at the same time expect every man on earth to know that we aren't up for casual grabs. We can't effectively argue that "men ought to behave better" when we present an image which encourages some of them to behave in a less than gentlemanly manner. You don't have to dress like a nun, you just have to refrain from exposing your bits and wiggling your rear end as you teeter along on "f-me" heels. I heard a comedian talking about girls who go "out on the razz" at weekends dressed like ladies of the night. "It must be really annoying for the real street-walkers, trying to make a living when there are so many girls out doing it for nothing," was one of his lines, followed by, "Of course, it's hard for the men, too, not knowing which are which." He gave me food for thought, anyway, as does the current media trend for showcasing women dressed (or should I say undressed) in a certain suggestive way. And no, I've never been an admirer of Mary Whitehouse, if that's what you're thinking!

If he’s so ghastly why is the programme so popular. Wallace has admittedly become a little up his own rear end but I always felt it was a good blend of personalities.

Another one promoted above his ability because he was a cockney character. I think these men believe themselves to be invincible. So glad these creeps are being called out. Remember having to put up with sexist comments in my early twenties when I worked for a big company in London in 1970s. Women didn’t speak out then because men ruled roost and the fall out would be on the woman. It was expected that you accepted it and kept quiet.