Gregg Wallace admits ‘defeat’ and accepts his career is over as he confesses he’s ‘done well for a greengrocer’ amid sexual misconduct investigation

Gregg Wallace has admitted defeat and accepted his career is over following an investigation by a production company into his alleged sexual harassment and groping.

The TV presenter, 60, quit MasterChef after 13 people, including Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark, accused him of ‘wrong’ and inappropriate ‘sexualised’ behavior during filming.

The claims span a period of 17 years and include those of inappropriate behavior including walking around naked on set with a sock on his penis, inappropriate jokes and two claims of groping crew members.

A source has now told MailOnline that Gregg has told friends he ‘accepts his TV career is effectively over’.

They revealed that Gregg is “quite thoughtful and pragmatic” about the research and has concluded that he “had a good run and did well for a guy who was basically a greengrocer.”

Gregg set up his own fruit and vegetable company in 1989 – earning him the nickname ‘Gregg the Veg’ from friends – supplying restaurants including Quaglinos, where young Australian chef John Torode worked.

Irish TV chef Anna Haugh is reportedly a favorite to replace Gregg and join John on the hit TV show.

Although this year’s Masterchef Christmas specials have been removed from the TV schedule, there is also discussion that the BBC will remove landmark shows featuring him due to the nature of the complaints.

MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment. Gregg’s representatives declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline.

Other accusations include talking openly about his sex life on set, detailing intimate acts, flirting with crew members and asking younger female colleagues for their numbers.

Meanwhile, The Sun has reported that the star has stopped using his legal team as he believes he will be fired from MasterChef and has resigned to his fate.

The presenter has reportedly turned away crisis publicity teams in the weeks after several women complained he had groped or harassed them.

He announced last month that he would stop presenting MasterChef after almost two decades, while an investigation into his alleged misconduct is underway.

Earlier this week, Penny Lancaster broke her silence after her husband Rod Stewart punched the hostin which she said she was a “victim and witness” of Gregg’s bullying.

She said: “I absolutely witnessed and was a victim of some of Gregg Wallace’s bullying and harassment behavior. And unfortunately many people from the production team also witnessed this.’

She continued, “I really feel like he used his position of power to, I think, intimidate and cause distress to a lot of people on set.

‘And it’s really a shame that someone like him gets away with that, while others stand by and allow it to happen at the same time. And it’s clear that a lot of people have come forward.’

Following his departure, singer Rod delivered an angry tirade against the presenter, calling him a ‘fat, bald, ill-mannered bully’ to ‘demeaning’ wife Penny when she appeared on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021.

Explaining the decision behind Rod’s angry post, Penny said: ‘My husband couldn’t hold back when he heard people talking about the disturbing behaviour.

“Protective husband was like, ‘I’m not going to stay silent, I have to say something,’ because he realized how upset I was at the time.”

The BBC claims Gregg walked away from MasterChef after BBC News sent a letter to his agent on Tuesday detailing allegations made by 13 people and giving him the right of reply.

They say he was warned after a complaint was filed in 2018, but new historical claims emerged in the summer of 2024.

Gregg is “committed to cooperating fully throughout the process,” the show’s production company, Banijay UK, said.

Gregg will appear on BBC One as usual on Thursday evening as MasterChef: The Professionals, which has already been recorded, will air as planned and into December. The MasterChef Christmas specials are also still being broadcast.

The chef has since thanked people for their support following allegations that he simulated a sex act and walked into the MasterChef studio ‘completely naked’ apart from a ‘sock covering his penis’.

Gregg is accused of miming a sex act in front of a member of the show’s production staff, who was on his knees cleaning his pants during filming, according to the lurid and so far unsubstantiated allegations.

The grocer-turned-host is also accused of making “disgusting sex-related jokes”, including one about an “aunt” while tasting a contestant’s dish on the show.

In a video posted to Instagram last month, he said: ‘I’d like to thank all the people who have reached out to us, reached out and shown their support.

“That’s good of you, thank you very much.”