Irish celebrity chef to replace Gregg Wallace on MasterChef in major shake-up after host's misconduct probe sacking

The Irish Sun

a day ago

AN IRISH celebrity chef is set to cause a stir in the MasterChef kitchen — by replacing sacked presenter Gregg Wallace as the winner of the competition is crowned.
Tallaght native Anna Haugh will join the MasterChef team for the final episodes of this season, bringing some serious Irish flavour to the iconic series.
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Gregg Wallace was sacked by the BBC after allegations of inappropriate behaviour emerged
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Tallaght native Anna Haugh will join the MasterChef show
Credit: Bryan Meade - The Sunday Times
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The Irish chef is set to replace Wallace in the final episodes of the series
Its understood that the Irish cooking sensation will replace Wallace who was sacked from the BBC after allegations of inappropriate behaviour emerged against him during filming last November.
Now, Dublin chef Anna Haugh is stepping up to the plate to replace Gregg for the final few episodes of the series.
Last month, the BBC confirmed the new series of MasterChef would be broadcast in August, adding that it had "not been an easy decision in the circumstances".
The BBC added: "Broadcasting this series is the right thing to do for these cooks who have given so much to the process".
"We want them to be properly recognised and give the audience the choice to watch the series."
The final series of MasterChef which features former presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode began on BBC One on Wednesday.
However, Haugh is expected to finish out the last couple of episodes in the season, taking over from Wallace.
Haugh has appeared on several BBC cooking shows, including her very own Big Irish Food Tour - in which she took a culinary tour of Ireland.
The London-based foodie runs two swanky spots in the UK capital —Myrtlerestaurant and The Wee Sister wine bar.
BBC botches bid to edit out sacked duo Gregg Wallace & John Torode from new Masterchef amid calls to axe scandal-hit show
Anna lives in south London with her partner Richard Elwell, who co-owns Myrtle Sister, along with her son Oisin, and stepson Henry.
But it wasn't always high-end dining and BBC studios for Anna. She was once offered a place to study graphic design at what's now TU Dublin, but turned it down to pursue her real passion—food.
She trained in professional cookery at Cathal Brugha Street and cut her teeth at the Salthill Hotel in Galway before working her way through Michelin-starred kitchens across Dublin, London, Paris and the US.
EARLY INSPIRATION
One of her earliest gigs was under legendary Irish chef Derry Clarke at the Michelin-starred L'Ecrivain in Dublin's city centre.
Speaking on The Anton Savage Show in May, Haugh said: "It was my second-year apprenticeship, so I was really keen to kind of learn the craft, and L'Ecrivain was a great place to teach you that."
She also worked for Gordon Ramsay for 10 years, both in the UK and the US.
In an Instagram post last year, she said: "I've always worked for talented, fiercely passionate chefs, but working for Gordon gave me the experience and strength to open up Myrtle Restaurant."
'DEMANDING JOB'
'I saw how supportive he was to everyone, including the often-forgotten kitchen porters. It was a demanding job and I loved it completely.'
Myrtle and The Wee Sister, which sit side by side in London, showcase the best of Irish produce—with dishes such as boxty, Carlingford oysters and Clonakilty black pudding all on the menu.
Back in July, Wallace, 60, was formally sacked by the BBC after an investigation into his behaviour.
MasterChef presenter John Torode was also let go from the show.
The BBC fired both hosts on the back of a report which revealed more than 40 historic complaints against Gregg had been upheld, along with a claim that John once used a racist term.