MasterChef begins casting for next series as BBC ploughs on after sacking of Gregg Wallace and John Torode
The cooking show has been at the centre of scandal after Gregg was dismissed as a presenter after more than 40 complaints against him were upheld following a BBC investigation.
Australian-born chef John, 59, also lost his job after two decades over allegations that he used the N-word, which he claims to have 'absolutely no recollection' of.
But despite the chaos surrounding the show, MasterChef is forging ahead with a new series.
Asking cooking hopefuls to apply, production company Banjay wrote: 'For over 20 years we have been putting Britain's best food talents through their paces.
'Cooking doesn't get tougher than this.'
The website added: 'Whether you're an amateur cook looking to showcase your home-taught skills or a professional chef wanting to take your career to the next level you can apply for a UK MasterChef series below.'
According to The Sun, Banjay said the decision to cast for a new series came 'after consultation with the contestants'.
It comes after Gregg Wallace insisted that he is done with TV and the BBC before making a sensational claim that he was 'groped' during his time on MasterChef as he speaks out following his sacking from the show.
The TV personality, 60, said in an interview, how he himself faced sexual harassment from a host of women 'on a regular basis' as he hit out at the broadcaster over their 'complaints procedure'.
Speaking to The Sun, Gregg said: 'The whole complaints procedure needs to be readdressed - there are huge problems with it as things stand. Being on MasterChef was brilliant but I had so many bad experiences on that show too.
'Had I wanted to raise any complaints, I'd have had the decency to speak to that person directly. Privately, not publicly. My God, can you imagine the complaints I could have made? Have you got any idea of the sexual references made to me on a daily basis?
'How many times I've been touched by women wanting a selfie? How many times I've been groped? How many times suggestive comments have been made to me? How many female contestants have said inappropriate things on MasterChef?'
Gregg added that the thought of complaining wouldn't even 'cross my mind', noting that he wasn't suggesting that groping was 'right', but it was 'happening to me on a regular basis.'
The disgraced TV star went on to that he was often 'shouted at and bullied', claiming contestants had a perceived notion that presenters were 'god-like' and adding that he doesn't wish for anyone to be 'dragged through' what he has.
MailOnline have contacted BBC representatives for comment.
Meanwhile, Gregg, who has been reported to have been banned from working at the BBC, told how he washed his hands of both the TV industry and the BBC having been 'hurt' by recent events.
He noted he didn't want 'anything to do with' telly or the broadcaster, before acknowledging that his TV career is now over.
When asked if he will watch the upcoming series of MasterChef, he replied with a defiant 'No, no, no, no', stating that he's 'pleased' for the contestants on the show as it was never really about former co-star John Torode and himself.
He added that he 'didn't care' who hosted the show next, insisting that MasterChef would be 'absolutely fine' without himself and John at the helm.
Gregg's comments come after it was revealed that the BBC would air its amateur 2025 series of MasterChef.
In the nine months since the hit BBC programme finished filming last Autumn there have been questions over whether it would ever be broadcast following allegations of inappropriate behaviour against presenters Gregg and John.
Meanwhile, Gregg, who has been reported to have been banned from working at the BBC , told how he washed his hands of both the TV industry and the BBC having been 'hurt' by recent events
Now the corporation has revealed that the amateur series of MasterChef filmed last year, before allegations against Gregg and John were upheld, will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from August 6.
The MailOnline understand that the BBC have told the MasterChef production company Banijay that the show should reduce Gregg and John's screen time to a minimum in light of the report's findings.
A source said: 'The BBC have made it clear that it should limit the amount of airtime the presenters have in the editing of the new series, with a bigger focus on the contestants who are at the heart of the competition.'
'Neither Gregg nor John will appear in BBC iPlayer thumbnails and they will not be doing any promotional activity around the latest series.'
'All of the brilliant new contestants were consulted on whether the series should be broadcast, and no one objected.'
'Everyone involved is very keen to promote the hard work of the contestants and that will be our priority.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Naked Attraction host Anna Richardson details her experience dating both men and women as she reveals which gender she finds easier to be in a relationship with
Naked Attraction host Anna Richardson has revealed which gender she finds easier to date as she reflected on dating both men and women. Anna split from former Bake Off host Sue Perkins, 53, in June 2021 after eight years together, with a source stating at the time that they were both 'devastated'. She has been dating charity boss Simon Perkins since October 2022 after they met through mutual friends - whom she says brought 'a huge injection of energy' to her love life. Reflecting on her time dating both men and women, Anna explained to The Sun that being with a man is 'less complicated and less emotional'. She explained that being with a man is a 'cliché' as she quipped that 'as long as you feed them and let them watch footie' then they are happy. Anna told the publication: 'Dating a guy is, in some ways, less complicated'. 'Dating a woman means you understand each other implicitly because you're both female. 'Both parties understand that they're emotional creatures. This can be very challenging and intense, but also very exciting.' Anna was previously with partner Charles Martin for 18 years prior to beginning a relationship with Sue in in 2013 after meeting at a Halloween party. At the time of her break-up with Sue, a source told The Sun: 'It's really sad. Both Anna and Sue are devastated. 'We're all hoping they can patch things up and sort out their differences but for now it appears to be all over.' Meanwhile, in May 2022, the TV star admitted that 'you never get used to heartbreak' following their split in a revealing interview. The presenter spoke to OK magazine about love as well as her fears of growing older, admitting she's 'filled with dread' at the prospect of what could happen in the future. She explained: 'I suppose I don't know whether you become more resilient as you get older, but heartbreak is still that mystery that needs to be solved, and how you get over it and become stronger'. The couple, who dated for eight years, allegedly parted ways after Sue's reluctance to start a family, with Anna previously revealing she had thought about adopting a child and felt that 'time is running out' for her to do so. Anna went on to reveal, 'it's a really fundamental and visceral realisation [if you haven't had children] that, 'Oh my God, I can't do that anymore.' Even if I wanted to.' She added that she feels 'slow, inexorable dread' when she thinks about the next 30 years of her life, saying: 'It seems to be a bit of a decline. And it's very, very difficult.' MailOnline exclusively revealed in June 2022 that nobody else was involved in Sue and Anna's decision to split, which the couple made with 'a heavy heart'. A source said: 'The split is as amicable as these things can ever be. After so long together it wasn't an easy decision to make and they both did so with heavy hearts. 'But Sue and Anna are determined to remain friends and keep in touch. Nobody else is involved and now the pair are throwing themselves into work.' It was reported Anna moved out of their shared £2million North London home to live in Staffordshire to be close to her mum, who is caring for her father who is suffering from dementia. Speaking to The Telegraph in 2015 about the start of her romance with Sue, Anna explained she had known Sue for years, but it was a meeting her at a party after her separation from Charles, that made her realise she felt something more than just friendship. She gushed: 'When I was invited to the party, I was told Sue would be going and I felt, what, a frisson? A spark of interest? And I thought: 'Hmm, that's interesting'. There was something in the air. 'It was an extraordinary night. I was dancing on the table. It felt like a defining moment in my life.' She wasn't keen on giving herself a label in regards her sexuality at the time, after she had previously spent almost two decades with a man. 'For me, it's just a case of I am who I am. I'm not interested in being labelled gay or straight, my sexuality is fluid. I just happen to have fallen in love with a woman - simple as that,' she explained.
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ella Toone's emotional tribute to late father moments after Euro 2025 final win
Ella Toone paid tribute to her late father Nick moments after England won Euro 2025, in what was the midfielder's first trophy since he passed away in September last year. Toone was in tears after England's shootout victory over Spain and looked towards the sky as she was hugged by Alessia Russo, Keira Walsh and Alex Greenwood. Toone later posted on Instagram that there happened to be a spare seat next to her mum during the final, adding: 'If that's not a sign I don't know what is'. The 25-year-old also uploaded a picture with Beth Mead, who lost her mother June to ovarian cancer 18 months ago, saying: 'We did it for our angels in the sky'. Toone and Mead have shared a special bond during the tournament by supporting each other through grief and posed with their Euro 2025 medals. 'My dad, I went up to see my family and my mum she said there was a spare seat next to her,' Toone later said. 'He was there and that was the sign I was looking for today. My family, my dad, everyone who has got me here today, they have been my support network from the very start.' Manchester United midfielder Toone is now a two-time European champion with England after starting the Euro 2025 final against Spain. 'The girls who have won twice, for the ones who've never won it before, I'm so happy for them,' captain Leah Williamson said. 'What an honour to be in this time. 'I believe it but I'm struggling. Everything we say, try and live by, we do, and every single person who shows up every time. We stuck to the game plan. 'So many players that have done so much, they give everything, before we even get to the football bit. 'I feel I should be saying something monumental, but I just don't have the words. I'm so proud, and I feel so lucky. Everyone turned up today, and that's what happens. It's staying home.'
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Celebrate the Lionesses' win at Women's Euro 2025 with this England merch
Defending the title they secured in 2022, the Lionesses have won Euro 2025. The tournament concluded in Basel last night (Sunday 27 July) with a dramatic penalty shootout. Fresh from defeating Wales, Sweden and Italy, England came out on top against World Cup title holders Spain in a tense match that went into extra time. Dubbed the 'comeback queens' throughout the tournament, Alessia Russo equalised the game before penalties, where Chloe Kelly scored the winning goal. Managed by Sarina Wiegman, the side has once again secured their place in history as both the first senior England football team to win a major trophy on foreign soil and the first to win back-to-back titles. Defeating Germany 2-1 in the final match at Wembley Stadium in 2022, the team won England's first European Championship. Scenes of celebrations will take place across the country after another win, with an open-top bus parade scheduled as part of the homecoming event in London on Tuesday afternoon. Whether you're planning to show your support for the team in person, watch the celebrations from home or want a souvenir from the tournament, take a look at the best merch below. Inspired by vintage sportswear and various Lioness kits from tournaments past, this Nike shirt is designed with sweat-wicking technology to keep you comfortable while playing. The England 2025 home design uses a colourful red and blue ombre with blue panelling and the Nike and England logos. It's no surprise that Nineties bucket hats have returned this summer. The unisex style boasts a blue and red printed design with the England logo taking pride of place on the front. It could just as easily be worn to the Oasis Live tour – if you're one of the lucky masses that secured tickets. Another retro throwback, this windrunner nods to the original 80s design with an English twist. Made from 75% recycled fibres, it's great for evening kick-offs once the sun goes down. This Nike jacket for the Euros boasts a fun burgundy and navy all-over print, complete with a funnel neck and zip-up design. The English rose detailing pays homage to the football team, and an England and Nike logo are also featured on the front. The relaxed fit makes it perfect for year-round off-duty wear. This oversized T-shirt is a laidback way to show your support for the England team in the Women's Euro tournament 2025, whether at home or away. The black design features the signature Nike tick with 'Lioness' typography above.
