Ainsley Harriott weighs in on Gregg Wallace accusations with controversial statement

Ainsley Harriott has made a controversial statement speaking out about the allegations surrounding Gregg Wallace.

The MasterChef judge and chef, 60, announced last week that he is stepping back from presenting the show after almost 20 years while an investigation into his alleged misconduct is carried out.

But TV chef Ainsley, 67, who appeared on Celebrity MasterChef in August, has insisted that ‘the whole crew, including Gregg, were fantastic’.

Ainsley made it clear he has Gregg’s full support during an interview at the Television and Radio Industries Club.

He said: “When you look at a program that has been successful for many, many, many years, there is a reason for that.

“The whole crew, including Gregg, was fantastic. I had a great experience.’

The MasterChef judge and chef announced last week that he is stepping back from presenting the show after almost two decades while an investigation into his alleged misconduct is carried out (John Torode, Ainsley and Gregg pictured)

Despite his praise for the show, Ainsley wasn’t keen on the idea of ​​taking over Gregg’s spot, admitting: ‘It’s a tough gig’.

He added: ‘Judging food or anything is more difficult. But I have children – my daughter is 31 and she turned around and said, “It’s not for you, Dad, it’s for our generation.” And it is.

‘You have to see who comes forward. People talk about ‘wake up this, wake up that’. No, it’s now. It’s where we live. This is society. We live it, breathe it, live it, love it.

‘And especially if you have young grandchildren, you see that this is the world they are entering.

‘Protect it. Respect those people. I was there once, you know, 30 years ago, and now it’s their time. Let them develop. Make the world come alive.’

BBC executives held crisis meetings last week as the claims about Gregg threatened to undermine the Christmas programme, which includes two MasterChef specials.

The BBC has decided to continue broadcasting the remainder of Masterchef: The Professionals, which ends on December 12, and the two Christmas editions, while they await the conclusion of the investigation by production company Banijay.

It is understood the BBC and Banijay have been scouring the upcoming episodes of MasterChef yet to air for sexually inappropriate comments from Gregg.

But TV chef Ainsley, who appeared on Celebrity MasterChef in August, has insisted the ‘whole crew, including Gregg, were fantastic’

Ainsley made it clear he has Gregg’s full support, admitting: “When you look at a program that has been successful for many, many, many years, there’s a reason for that. The entire crew, including Gregg, was fantastic. I had a great experience’

A BBC spokesperson told the Mail: ‘MasterChef is life-changing for the chefs who take part and the show is about more than one person.’

He was last week confronted with allegations of inappropriate behavior from 13 people, including Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark, over a 17-year period across five shows from 2005 to 2022.

Gregg is accused of telling a younger female colleague he wasn’t wearing boxer shorts under his jeans, walking into the studio naked except for a sock on his penis, and simulating a sex act with a producer as she knelt down to his to clean pants.

The latest allegations include a woman who said he groped her, another who claims he pressed his crotch against her while filming the BBC show Eat Well For Less and a third who claimed he flashed her in his dressing room .

Despite this, Gregg remains desperate to restore his reputation and the investigation’s findings are crucial if he is to continue appearing on screen.