John Torode sacked by BBC after being accused of using N-word while singing along to Kanye West song Gold Digger

The Sun

17-07-2025

MASTERCHEF presenter John Torode was sacked by the BBC for allegedly using the N-word twice.
The Sun understands he repeated lyrics from rapper Kanye West's hit Gold Digger, which contain the racial slur, at an after-work ­gathering six or seven years ago.
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Torode, 59, is said to have used the word again while ­chatting to a pal on the BBC show's production team.
Richard Osman, ex-host on BBC quiz show Pointless, said Torode had used 'the worst racial slur' and the ­allegations were 'watertight'.
Torode, who vehemently denies ever using the N-word, is 'utterly devastated' by the accusations.
He was sacked this week after an investigation by the Beeb and production company Banijay.
Torode allegedly used the word a second time when speaking to a member of the production team — who was a friend and did not take offence.
The person who raised the complaint on that occasion is understood to have overheard the conversation
And his production pal reckoned Torode only used the slur as an 'example' and 'apologised afterwards'.
Those close to Torode said he vehemently denies ever using the N-word, whether in song lyrics or otherwise.
But Richard Osman, host of BBC quiz show House of Games, weighed into the row and said he believed the allegations against Torode were 'watertight'.
A source said: 'John is in a pretty bad way — he's feeling very fragile.
'He's utterly devastated and just wants to clear his name.'
Aussie-born Torode was only spoken to by a representative from legal firm Lewis Silkin at the end of June as part of the inquiry into his MasterChef co-host Gregg Wallace.
A source added: 'One of the allegations is that he said the N-word while repeating Kanye's Gold Digger song during a gathering with his colleagues when filming had ended.
'John is adamant he would never have used the N-word and only knows the radio version of the song which says, 'Now I ain't sayin' she a gold digger, but she ain't messin' with no broke, broke'. The clean version of the song is the only one he knows.
'The person who raised the complaint didn't say anything at the time. So John only found out a few weeks ago that this issue had been raised.
'This has hit him like a ton of bricks as he does not recall it.
'And he insists he would never have repeated the N-word in those lyrics because he only knows the radio edit of that song.'
Of the second allegation, a source close to Torode said he did not recall using the N-word.
The source added: 'John is adamant he would never use this word while speaking to anyone.
'The person he is alleged to have said this to didn't complain, it was someone who overheard it.
'In fact he was close to the person he is supposed to have said it to and they got on very well while working together.
'Even the person who John was supposedly having the overheard conversation with said he had mentioned the word in reference and apologised straight away.
'But John has said he cannot recall the conversation and he would never use the N-word. He knows it is unacceptable and says he would never have said it.
'During his meeting John was in disbelief because he insisted he would never have used that word.'
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Those close to Torode also criticised the BBC's handling of his departure, with his representatives only being made aware his contract wasn't being renewed after the BBC press office released a statement.
A source added: 'John is devastated by all of this.
'He is being supported by his wife Lisa and his friends — they're keeping him close because he has really been struggling.
'John abhors this kind of language and does not recall ever reciting a racist slur in a lyric, or directing one to someone he considered a friend at work.
'He adored MasterChef. It was a huge part of his life. To have it all ending like this is awful.'
Torode's celeb friends have also publicly spoken out on his behalf.
Piers Morgan tweeted: 'Salem wants its witch trials back.'
And media personality Christine Hamilton, a Celebrity MasterChef finalist, said: 'John Torode is one of the nicest, kindest guys I've ever met. His sacking by the vile BBC is deeply unjust and shows how deeply entrenched is their wokeism.'
Richard Osman, former host of BBC quiz show Pointless, said on his podcast yesterday: 'He used, I think, probably the worst racial slur there is and they found that to be substantively true.
'They found evidence they were happy with. He said that he couldn't remember it. But that one was upheld.'
Both Pointless and House of Games are part of Banijay UK's portfolio of shows.
A spokesman for Banijay declined to comment.
Wallace, 60, was officially sacked this week by the BBC and Banijay after an independent investigation was carried out into allegations of bad behaviour on the show between 2005 and 2024.
A total of 45 out of 83 allegations against him were upheld.
The majority were inappropriate sexual language, although one related to unwanted touching.
The Sun revealed yesterday that the final series of MasterChef, with Wallace and Torode as hosts, will air 'once the dust has settled'.
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