Latest news with #LewisSilkin
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Lisa Faulkner reveals her motto for staying strong after John Torode MasterChef axe
Lisa Faulkner has hinted at hard times in one of her first posts since her her husband John Torode was told that his MasterChef contract would not be renewed after a historic allegation of racism Lisa Faulkner has hinted at hard times after her husband John Torode's MasterChef contract was not renewed. The chef had presented the show alongside Gregg Wallace for years but he will now not return to the show. It was announced that Torode's contract on the BBC series would not be renewed after a historic allegation of racism. Torode confirmed he was the subject of an allegation of using racist language that was upheld as part of a review carried out by law firm Lewis Silkin into the alleged behaviour of his co-presenter Gregg Wallace. A statement from Banijay UK said: "In response to John Torode's statement, it is important to stress that Banijay UK takes this matter incredibly seriously. The legal team at Lewis Silkin that investigated the allegations relating to Gregg Wallace also substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018. "This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint. Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract." Torode also confirmed that he was the person alleged to have used racist language but said he had 'no recollection of the incident' and was 'shocked and saddened' by the allegation. A BBC spokesperson said: "John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him. This allegation – which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace- was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm, Lewis Silkin. John Torode denies the allegation. "He has stated he has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment. The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. John Torode's contract on MasterChef will not be renewed." Now, Lisa has hinted at hard times as she spoke about her pet pooch Rory and how he had "kept her smiling". Taking to social media, she shared a snap of her cuddling her pet dog, writing alongside it: "Our little shadow over the past few weeks. I can't tell you how much Rory has kept me smiling. Every day she wakes up wagging her tail, smiling and greeting a new day with her positivity! My motto really is Be More Rory."
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
John Torode's wife Lisa Faulkner breaks silence on MasterChef axe
Lisa Faulkner has broken her silence after her husband John Torode was sacked as judge on MasterChef following an allegation of racism. John Torode's wife Lisa Faulkner has broken her online silence following her husband's sacking from MasterChef. She's spoken after it was confirmed Torode's contract with the BBC series would not be renewed due to a historic allegation of racism. In a video posted on her Instagram on Monday night, July 28, the actress told fans: "Hi there, I just wanted to check in and say hello. I'm here and just thank you for all your lovely comments because they really, really mean a lot. So thank you." Lisa, 53, married Torode in 2019. This is the second marriage for the pair, with the former Holby City actress previously being with Chris Coghill, known for his role as Tony King in EastEnders. They share an adopted daughter named Billie. Torode's ex-wife is Jessica, and they have two children together. The former MasterChef star, 59, also has two older children from a previous relationship, reports the Mirror. Lisa and Torode first met when Lisa competed on Celebrity MasterChef back in 2010, forming a strong friendship that eventually blossomed. The pair hit it off immediately, maintaining their friendship after filming, but Lisa insists there was no initial romantic spark. "He was a judge on a show I loved and I was petrified of him. He was brilliant and gave us all tips so you didn't want to let him down," she recalled. "All I could think was, 'That sauce hasn't worked'. I didn't see anything but food for three months. After I won, we did The Good Food Show and stuff. John and I always got on, but I never thought about me and him." John Torode's contract with MasterChef will not be renewed, as confirmed by the BBC and production company Banijay UK. The Australian-born presenter, 59, began co-hosting MasterChef with Gregg Wallace in 2005. Torode acknowledged that he was the subject of a complaint regarding the use of racist language, which was upheld during a review conducted by law firm Lewis Silkin into the alleged behaviour of his co-presenter Gregg Wallace. Banijay UK issued a statement saying: "In response to John Torode's statement, it is important to stress that Banijay UK takes this matter incredibly seriously. The legal team at Lewis Silkin that investigated the allegations relating to Gregg Wallace also substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018. "This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint. Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef." The report from Lewis Silkin, commissioned by Banijay UK, found that 45 out of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated, along with two standalone allegations made against other individuals, including one for using racist language. Torode acknowledged he was the individual accused of racist language but stated he had "no recollection of the incident" and was "shocked and saddened" by the allegation. A BBC spokesperson commented: "John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him. This allegation – which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace- was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm, Lewis Silkin. John Torode denies the allegation. "He has stated he has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment. "The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. John Torode's contract on MasterChef will not be renewed." Despite Torode's MasterChef dismissal, he has continued to grace television screens alongside Lisa for their own programme. An insider close to ITV confirmed to the Mirror that their scheduling for John and Lisa's Weekend Kitchen 'remains unchanged' despite John's dismissal from MasterChef.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
John Torode's wife Lisa Faulkner breaks her silence after his MasterChef sacking
John Torode's wife Lisa Faulkner has broken her online silence in the wake of her husband's sacking from MasterChef. It was announced that Torode's contract on the BBC series would not be renewed following a historic allegation of racism. In a video shared on her Instagram Stories this evening, the actress told fans: "Hi there, I just wanted to check in and say hello. I'm here and just thank you for all your lovely comments because they really, really mean a lot. So thank you." Faulkner, 53, tied the knot with Torode in 2019. It is the second marriage for both stars, with the former Holby City actress previously with Chris Coghill, known for his role as Tony King in ' EastEnders ', with whom she shares an adopted daughter named Billie. Torode's former spouse is a woman named Jessica, and together they share two children. The former MasterChef star, 59, is also a father to two older children from a previous relationship. Faulkner and Torode first crossed paths when Lisa competed on Celebrity MasterChef' in 2010, striking up a solid friendship that eventually blossomed into romance. The pair clicked right away, maintaining their friendship post-filming, but Lisa maintains there was no initial romantic spark. "He was a judge on a show I loved and I was petrified of was brilliant and gave us all tips so you didn't want to let him down," she recalled. "All I could think was, 'That sauce hasn't worked'. I didn't see anything but food for three months. After I won, we did The Good Food Show and stuff. John and I always got on, but I never thought about me and him." Torode's contract on MasterChef will not be renewed, the BBC and production company Banijay UK confirmed. Australian-born Torode, 59, started presenting MasterChef alongside Gregg Wallace in 2005. Torode confirmed he was the subject of an allegation of using racist language that was upheld as part of a review carried out by law firm Lewis Silkin into the alleged behaviour of his co-presenter Wallace. A statement from Banijay UK said: "In response to John Torode's statement, it is important to stress that Banijay UK takes this matter incredibly seriously. The legal team at Lewis Silkin that investigated the allegations relating to Gregg Wallace also substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018. "This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint. Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef." The Lewis Silkin report, commissioned by Banijay UK, found 45 out of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated, alongside two standalone allegations made against other people, including one for using racist language. Torode confirmed he was the person alleged to have used racist language but said he had 'no recollection of the incident' and was 'shocked and saddened' by the allegation. A BBC spokesperson said: "John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him. This allegation – which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace- was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm, Lewis Silkin. John Torode denies the allegation. "He has stated he has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment. "The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. John Torode's contract on MasterChef will not be renewed." Despite Torode's MasterChef axe, he has still appeared on screens with Lisa for their own TV show. A source close to ITV confirmed to the Mirror their schedules for John and Lisa's Weekend Kitchen 'remain unchanged' despite John's sacking from MasterChef.
Metro
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Gregg Wallace responds to Sir Rod Stewart's 'tubby' MasterChef swipe
A report by law firm Lewis Silkin found there were 27 substantiated claims against Wallace relating to alleged incidents during this period, most of which related to sexually explicit comments. One allegation of unwanted physical contact during this timeframe was also substantiated. The report found that when concerns were reported to the production company during this period, there was a failure to retain records of any action taken. The report found that 17 upheld allegations relate to this period. In 2015, the production company behind MasterChef investigated an allegation about Wallace's behaviour, but he was not made aware of the complaint. The following year, the production company merged with Endemol, and more formal policies, regular training, and anonymous reporting lines were introduced. The BBC intervened in response to a complaint in 2017, following which Wallace was warned of the need to change his behaviour. One substantiated complaint about an inappropriate comment fell into this period. Wallace faced allegations of inappropriate sexual comments from 13 people across a range of shows over 17 years, BBC News reported. The TV star stepped away from presenting MasterChef while Banijay, the show's production company, announced that it was conducting an external review to 'fully and impartially investigate' the claims. BBC News said allegations include the presenter 'talking openly about his sex life, taking his top off in front of a female worker saying he wanted to "give her a fashion show", and telling a junior female colleague he was not wearing any boxer shorts under his jeans'. The charity Ambitious About Autism said it had dropped Wallace as an ambassador, citing the 'recent allegations'. Banijay UK confirmed it appointed law firm Lewis Silkin to lead the investigation into Wallace's alleged behaviour. Wallace said in a video posted to Instagram that accusations about him making sexual comments towards staff and guests have come from 'middle-class women of a certain age'. Downing Street said Wallace's response to the accusations being made against him was 'inappropriate and misogynistic'. A spokesperson added that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy had held talks with BBC bosses in the wake of the Wallace row. Following the backlash, Wallace apologised for any 'offence' or 'upset' he caused with his remarks and said he would 'take some time out'. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said politicians should be ready to put in place 'mechanisms' that would instil 'confidence' that women will be taken seriously in reports of inappropriate behaviour after a Labour MP asked him about 'women of a certain age', reflecting comments Wallace apologised for. MasterChef co-presenter John Torode said in a social media post that he 'loves being part of' the programme and 'will continue to be a part of it'. Wallace told the Daily Mail he 'thought about suicide all the time' after allegations of misconduct were made against him. Wallace was sacked as MasterChef presenter following the inquiry into his alleged misconduct by production company Banijay. BBC News said it had not seen the final review from Banijay but understood the presenter had been sacked. In an Instagram post, the former greengrocer claimed he had been cleared of the 'most serious and sensational accusations' ahead of the published review. He also said he recognised that some of his humour and language were inappropriate 'at times' and apologised for this. The report by law firm Lewis Silkin for Banijay is published. It says that a total of 45 out of the 83 allegations made against Wallace during his time on the show were substantiated, including one allegation of 'unwelcome physical contact'. It concludes that the 'majority of the substantiated allegations against Mr Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour', adding that 'a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated'. In the wake of the report's findings, Banijay say that 'Wallace's return to MasterChef (is) untenable'.
Leader Live
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Gregg Wallace apologises, but says he is ‘not a groper, a sex pest or a flasher'
In an interview with The Sun, the TV presenter also defended his sacked former co-host John Torode, telling the paper he is 'not a racist'. Torode was the subject of an allegation about using racist language that was upheld as part of a review carried out by law firm Lewis Silkin into the alleged behaviour of co-presenter Wallace. Torode said he had 'no recollection of the incident' and was 'shocked and saddened' by the allegation. In November 2024 it was announced that Wallace would step away from his role on the BBC cooking show while historical allegations of misconduct were investigated. Wallace issued an apology saying he was 'deeply sorry for any distress caused' and that he 'never set out to harm or humiliate' in the wake of the Lewis Silkin review that saw 45 out of 83 allegations made against him upheld. The review concluded that the 'majority of the substantiated allegations against Mr Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour', adding that 'a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated', with 'one incident of unwelcome physical contact' also substantiated. In fresh comments to The Sun, Wallace acknowledged that he had said things that 'offended people, that weren't socially acceptable and perhaps they felt too intimidated or nervous to say anything at the time. 'I understand that now – and to anyone I have hurt, I am so sorry.' Wallace added: 'I'm not a groper. People think I've been taking my trousers down and exposing myself – I am not a flasher. 'People think I'm a sex pest. I am not.' Wallace also said his recent autism diagnosis means he struggles 'to read people'. 'I know people find me weird,' he said. 'Autism is a disability, a registered disability.' Pointing to the allegation against Torode, Wallace told the paper: 'I've known John for 30 years and he is not a racist. 'And as evidence of that, I'll show you the incredible diversity of the people that he has championed, MasterChef winners, over the years. 'There is no way that man is a racist. No way. And my sympathies go out to John because I don't want anybody to go through what I've been through.' It was announced this week that a series of MasterChef filmed last year before allegations against Wallace and Torode were upheld will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from August 6. A decision on airing the celebrity series and Christmas special has not been decided, with plans to be confirmed later in the year, the BBC said. Both presenters will still feature in the upcoming series, but the edit will be looked at in light of the findings of an investigation, with focus being given to the contestants, the PA news agency understands. A BBC spokesperson said: 'After careful consideration and consultation with the contestants, we have decided to broadcast the amateur series of MasterChef on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 6 August. 'MasterChef is an amazing competition which is life-changing for the amateur chefs taking part. The focus of it has always been their skill and their journey. 'This has not been an easy decision in the circumstances and we appreciate not everyone will agree with it. 'In showing the series, which was filmed last year, it in no way diminishes our view of the seriousness of the upheld findings against both presenters. 'We have been very clear on the standards of behaviour that we expect of those who work at the BBC or on shows made for the BBC. 'However, we believe that 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. 'At this stage we have not taken a decision on the celebrity series and Christmas special, which was filmed earlier this year, and we will confirm our plans later in the year. 'Most importantly MasterChef is a brilliant, much-loved programme which is bigger than any one individual. 'There are many talented, dedicated and hard-working people who make the show what it is. It will continue to flourish on the BBC and we look forward to it returning stronger than ever in the future.'
