Latest news with #MasterChefGoesLarge
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
MasterChef's John Torode used 'serious racist term' BBC bosses say in damning verdict
The language used was allegedy of a racist nature and Tim Davie would not repeat it. Offensive language allegedly used by John Torode on MasterChef was a "serious racist term," a BBC boss has stressed. Tim Davie, director-general of the BBC, said he was not prepared to repeat it when pressed by journalists what exactly slur Torode is alleged to have used. The presenter was sacked from his role on MasterChef last night, after an allegation that he used racist language was investigated and substantiated by an independent investigation led by a top law firm. Although he denies the allegations, Torode, 59, follows Gregg Wallace, 60, out of the door, departures which put the future of already recorded celebrity and amateur versions of the BBC show in serious doubt, reports the Mirror. However, Mr Davie, 58, last night insisted MasterChef does have a future with the broadcaster beyond 2028, when its current deal runs out. Asked exactly what Torode said, Mr Davie last night replied: "I'm not going to give you the exact term, because I think, frankly it was serious racist term, a serious racist term, which does not get to be acceptable in any way, shape or form." In relation to MasterChef's future, the BBC boss continued: "I absolutely think it does (have a future), I think a great programme that's loved by audiences is much bigger than individuals. It absolutely can survive and prosper, but we've got to make sure we're in the right place in terms of the culture of the show." Torode and Wallace had fronted the show since it was revived as MasterChef Goes Large in 2005. When Wallace was axed, it was thought Grace Dent would replace the former greengrocer, having covered for him on Celebrity MasterChef episodes earlier this year. Torode's absence leaves questions on who may work alongside Ms Dent, a food critic with prior TV and journalism experience. Torode last night continued to insist that he had no knowledge of the "offensive" comment he is accused of making, despite lawyers Lewis Silkin upholding the complaint, said to be from 2018. It also emerged yesterday Tuesday, July 15, that the defiant presenter, who also appears on This Morning, found out about his dismissal through the BBC News website and claims he was never contacted by the BBC or MasterChef's production company about their decision not to renew his contract on the cooking programme, of which he has been part for 20 years. A statement from Banijay UK, the programme's production company, 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."
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
BBC boss' damning verdict when asked EXACTLY what MasterChef's John Torode said
John Torode's contract on MasterChef will not be renewed, the BBC and production company Banijay UK said on Tuesday, following an allegation of using racist language Offensive language John Torode allegedly used on MasterChef was a "serious racist term," a BBC boss has stressed. Tim Davie, director-general of the BBC, said the slur was so severe he was not prepared to repeat it when pressed by journalists what exactly Torode is alleged to have used. The presenter was sacked from his role on MasterChef last night, after the allegation he used racist language was investigated and substantiated by an independent investigation led by a top law firm. Although he denies the allegations, Torode, 59, follows Gregg Wallace, 60, out of the door, departures which put the future of already recorded celebrity and amateur versions of the BBC show in doubt. But Mr Davie, 58, last night insisted MasterChef does have a future with the broadcaster beyond 2028, when its current deal runs out. Asked exactly what Torode said, Mr Davie last night replied: "I'm not going to give you the exact term, because I think, frankly it was serious racist term, a serious racist term, which does not get to be acceptable in any way, shape or form." In relation to MasterChef's future, the BBC boss continued: "I absolutely think it does (have a future), I think a great programme that's loved by audiences is much bigger than individuals. It absolutely can survive and prosper, but we've got to make sure we're in the right place in terms of the culture of the show." Torode and Wallace had fronted the show since it was revived as MasterChef Goes Large in 2005. When Wallace was axed, it was thought Grace Dent would replace the former greengrocer, having covered for him on Celebrity MasterChef earlier this year. Torode's absence leaves questions on who may work alongside Ms Dent, a food critic with prior TV and journalism experience. Torode last night continued to insist he had no knowledge of the "offensive" comment he is accused of making, despite lawyers Lewis Silkin upholding the complaint, said to be from 2018. It also emerged on Tuesday the defiant presenter, who also appears on This Morning, found out about his dismissal through the BBC News website. He claims he was never contacted by the BBC or MasterChef's production company about their decision not to renew his contract on the cooking programme, of which he has been part for 20 years. A statement from Banijay UK, the programme's production company, 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."
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
John Torode: The Australian-born chef who has spent 20 years on MasterChef
The programme, which tests amateur chefs on their culinary skills, was originally called MasterChef Goes Large when the duo began presenting it in 2005, after they met in the 1990s when Wallace, greengrocer to London's top restaurants for more than 20 years, began supplying Torode's businesses. The 59-year-old, who was born in Sydney, Australia in 1965, was a resident chef on This Morning, appearing alongside Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, before he achieved widespread fame with Wallace on the revamped version of the show. Alongside Wallace, Torode also presented spin-off show Celebrity MasterChef and co-hosted an episode of the satirical BBC quiz Have I Got News For You in 2011. The duo's version of the show was a revamped edition of the original 1990-2001 series, which was hosted by Loyd Grossman. Also in 2011, a viral mash-up in which clips of Torode and Wallace were spliced together to create a two-minute auto-tuned song about cheesecake raked in more than 11 million views on YouTube, and subsequently peaked at number 37 in the UK singles chart. Across the years there have been rumours that the two men did not get along off-screen, although Wallace previously said they are friendly. Speaking about a dinner he had with Torode, Wallace told the PA news agency in 2012: 'We drank some very good red wine and we finished with a couple of brandies. We talked about love, life, weight loss, hair loss – I'm very fond of John.' In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours, for his services to food and charity. Speaking on the day he was honoured, Torode said: 'I feel very privileged, it's a real honour and I feel great about it.' Before allegations of misconduct against Wallace emerged, the two celebrated the show's 20th anniversary with a dinner at Fishmongers' Hall in London, during the show's semi-finals week, and welcomed more then 70 guests who had been connected with the show over the last two decades. After allegations emerged, Torode confirmed in December last year he would continue to host MasterChef, saying he 'loves being part of' the programme. On Monday, Torode confirmed he had a standalone allegation of racist language upheld in the same report that found a total of 45 out of the 83 allegations of misconduct made against Wallace during his time on the show were substantiated. Torode said had 'no recollection of the incident' and was 'shocked and saddened' by the allegation in an Instagram post. After the allegation came to light, MasterChef producer Banijay UK and the BBC announced that his contract will not be renewed. A Banijay spokesperson 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.' As well as his on screen work, Torode has written a series of cookbooks, including Sydney To Seoul, My Kind Of Food and John And Lisa's Kitchen with his wife Lisa Faulkner, and is the former owner of the Luxe and Smiths Of Smithfield restaurants in London. Torode has four children, and married actress and Celebrity MasterChef winner Faulkner in 2019.
South Wales Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
John Torode: The Australian-born chef who has spent 20 years on MasterChef
The programme, which tests amateur chefs on their culinary skills, was originally called MasterChef Goes Large when the duo began presenting it in 2005, after they met in the 1990s when Wallace, greengrocer to London's top restaurants for more than 20 years, began supplying Torode's businesses. The 59-year-old, who was born in Sydney, Australia in 1965, was a resident chef on This Morning, appearing alongside Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, before he achieved widespread fame with Wallace on the revamped version of the show. Alongside Wallace, Torode also presented spin-off show Celebrity MasterChef and co-hosted an episode of the satirical BBC quiz Have I Got News For You in 2011. The duo's version of the show was a revamped edition of the original 1990-2001 series, which was hosted by Loyd Grossman. Also in 2011, a viral mash-up in which clips of Torode and Wallace were spliced together to create a two-minute auto-tuned song about cheesecake raked in more than 11 million views on YouTube, and subsequently peaked at number 37 in the UK singles chart. Across the years there have been rumours that the two men did not get along off-screen, although Wallace previously said they are friendly. Speaking about a dinner he had with Torode, Wallace told the PA news agency in 2012: 'We drank some very good red wine and we finished with a couple of brandies. We talked about love, life, weight loss, hair loss – I'm very fond of John.' In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours, for his services to food and charity. Speaking on the day he was honoured, Torode said: 'I feel very privileged, it's a real honour and I feel great about it.' Before allegations of misconduct against Wallace emerged, the two celebrated the show's 20th anniversary with a dinner at Fishmongers' Hall in London, during the show's semi-finals week, and welcomed more then 70 guests who had been connected with the show over the last two decades. After allegations emerged, Torode confirmed in December last year he would continue to host MasterChef, saying he 'loves being part of' the programme. On Monday, Torode confirmed he had a standalone allegation of racist language upheld in the same report that found a total of 45 out of the 83 allegations of misconduct made against Wallace during his time on the show were substantiated. Torode said had 'no recollection of the incident' and was 'shocked and saddened' by the allegation in an Instagram post. After the allegation came to light, MasterChef producer Banijay UK and the BBC announced that his contract will not be renewed. A Banijay spokesperson 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.' As well as his on screen work, Torode has written a series of cookbooks, including Sydney To Seoul, My Kind Of Food and John And Lisa's Kitchen with his wife Lisa Faulkner, and is the former owner of the Luxe and Smiths Of Smithfield restaurants in London. Torode has four children, and married actress and Celebrity MasterChef winner Faulkner in 2019.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Inside John Torode's 20-year BBC career from meeting his wife on MasterChef to sacking
John Torode was at the helm of MasterChef alongside former host Gregg Wallace for 20 years, but it was a chance meeting in the 1990s that led to the duo's partnership Australian-born chef John Torode was steering the ship of MasterChef alongside Gregg Wallace for two decades before they were both axed from the BBC programme. The production company behind MasterChef recently released a report into Wallace's behaviour on the show, conducted by law firm Lewis Silkin. The company's investigation substantiated 45 of the allegations made against the presenter, the majority of which related to inappropriate sexual language and humour. Meanwhile, a small number of allegations relating to the star being in a state of undress and one claim of unwanted physical contact were also substantiated. Torode, who hosted MasterChef for nearly 20 years alongside Wallace, confirmed recently he was the person alleged to have used racist language after an investigation into Wallace. However, John claimed he had no memory of making the comment and denies it ever happened. The BBC and Banijay soon confirmed they wouldn't be renewing his contract as they both released a statement. Before the accusations against Wallace and Torode were known to the public, the show was a huge hit with fans. It was initially dubbed MasterChef Goes Large when the pair took up presenting duties in 2005, after first crossing paths in the 1990s when Wallace, a greengrocer to London's finest eateries for over 20 years, started supplying Torode's ventures. Born in Sydney, Australia in 1965, the 59-year-old was a regular chef on This Morning, sharing screen time with Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, before gaining widespread recognition with Wallace on the reimagined version of the programme. Alongside Wallace, Torode also fronted the spin-off Celebrity MasterChef and co-hosted an episode of the satirical BBC quiz Have I Got News For You in 2011. Their take on the show was a new rendition of the original series from 1990-2001, hosted by Loyd Grossman. Over the years, whispers have circulated that the duo didn't see eye-to-eye off-camera, although Wallace has previously stated they are on good terms. MasterChef's Wallace once shared a candid moment about his friendship with co-star Torode, recounting during a 2012 interview with the PA news agency: "We drank some very good red wine and we finished with a couple of brandies. We talked about love, life, weight loss, hair loss – I'm very fond of John." John Torode received an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2022 for his contributions to food and charity, on which he commented: "I feel very privileged, it's a real honour and I feel great about it." Before misconduct allegations against Wallace came to light, the pair marked MasterChef's 20th anniversary with a bash at Fishmongers' Hall in London, hosting over 70 guests with ties to the series. However, as accusations arose, Torode reassured fans in December that he would stay with MasterChef, expressing his attachment to the show by saying he "loves being part of" it. Later, on a Monday, Torode acknowledged the validity of one isolated instance of racial insensitivity found in an investigation that confirmed 45 out of 83 complaints against Wallace throughout his tenure on the show. Torode addressed his forgetfulness about the perturbing claim on Instagram, stating that he had "no recollection of the incident" and was "shocked and saddened". Following this revelation, both MasterChef producer Banijay UK and the BBC made the decision that Torode's contract would not be extended. A Banijay spokesperson declared: "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." In addition to his television appearances, Torode is an acclaimed author with cookbooks such as Sydney To Seoul, My Kind Of Food and John And Lisa's Kitchen, co-written with his wife Lisa Faulkner. He also used to own popular London dining spots The Luxe and Smiths Of Smithfield. Torode shares four children with his spouse, actress and fellow culinary connoisseur Faulkner, whom he wed in 2019 following her Celebrity MasterChef triumph.
