It has been claimed Gregg Wallace made "racist" comments at the expense of an Asian MasterChef contestant, according to a former colleague. It comes as the 60-year-old TV star faces allegations of inappropriate sexual comments from 13 people across a range of shows over a 17-year period, as reported by BBC News which said it sent a letter to the TV star’s representatives earlier this week. Among the BBC News complainants is former Newsnight host Kirsty Wark, who alleged he told jokes of a “sexualised nature” when she was competing on Celebrity MasterChef in 2011.
On Friday, new allegations were made public as a former MasterChef staff member reportedly accused Wallace of using "offensive Asian remarks" and mockingly making "kung fu fighting noises" while on set. According to The Telegraph, a formal complaint has been lodged with the BBC citing the use of what the complainant calls "racist" language by the presenter during a series filming which featured an Asian contestant. Following the contestant's exit from the set, Wallace would reportedly engage in remarks like "me so horny" and "me sucky sucky" to the crew.
The Mirror has approached Wallace for comment on this story and his representatives referred us to their original statement. Wallace thanked his Instagram followers for "showing their support" on Thursday night, after he announced he was to step away from the BBC cooking show while historical misconduct complaints are externally reviewed. In an Instagram post, .