Ainsley Harriott has sparked debate with his comments addressing the allegations against Gregg Wallace.
The 60-year-old MasterChef judge recently announced his decision to step back from the show after nearly two decades amid an ongoing investigation into allegations of misconduct.
However, TV chef Harriott, who appeared on Celebrity MasterChef earlier this year, voiced his support for Wallace.
Speaking at the Television and Radio Industries Club, the 67-year-old praised the production team, stating: “If you look at a programme that’s been successful for many, many, many years, there’s a reason why.
“The whole crew, including Gregg, was fantastic. I had a great experience.”
While Harriott had kind words for the show, he was less enthusiastic about the idea of stepping into Wallace’s role, admitting: “It’s a tough gig.”
He added: “Judging food or judging anything is harder. But I’ve got kids – my daughter is 31 and she just turned around and said, “it’s not for you, Dad, it’s for our generation”. And it really is.
“You have to look at who’s coming forward. People talk about ‘woke this, woke that.’ No, it’s now. It’s where we live. This is society. We live it, breathe it, live it, love it.
“And especially when you’ve got young grandchildren, you can see that’s the world they’re coming into.
“Protect it. Respect those people. I was there once, you know, 30 years ago, and it’s their time now. Let them develop. Let the world come alive.”
Harriott isn’t the only TV star to share their support for Wallace as Andi Oliver weighed in on the controversy, suggesting the issue has been exaggerated.
Last week, the TV star, 60, apologised for claiming complaints about his behaviour came from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”, adding he will “take some time out”.
On Friday, BBC bosses said they would be supporting MasterChef production company Banijay UK as it investigates allegations of misconduct against Wallace, after he stepped away from hosting the BBC One cooking show.
In a message sent to staff, director-general Tim Davie, and Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s chief content officer, said the corporation will not “tolerate behaviour that falls below the standards we expect”.
In the wake of the fallout, the BBC announced it was pulling a Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook Off special and a MasterChef Strictly Christmas special from its December TV schedules amid the controversy.
Weighing in on the controversy, Oliver defended Wallace and claimed he wasn’t the “only person” who’s been allowed to “behave in ways that are inappropriate”.
The 61-year-old said: “The thing to do is not be too melodramatic about it. Gregg Wallace is not the only person who’s been given a licence to behave in ways that are inappropriate.
“And for everybody to pretend that he is a kind of lone wolf is disingenuous and a bit ridiculous, really.”
She told the Daily Mail: “Instead of wanging on about him, we should be making sure that environments are good, productive, safe spaces for people to work in.”
Filming for the new series of MasterChef is set to begin next year. However, insiders have reportedly ruled out Wallace’s return, regardless of the findings of the inquiry into his conduct.
Earlier this month Banijay UK, the production company behind MasterChef, announced that Wallace would be “stepping away from his role on MasterChef” following complaints from individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct.
Wallace has since faced a string of allegations of inappropriate behaviour, with BBC News reporting that one woman said he touched her bottom after an event and another said he pressed his crotch against her while filming on a different show.
Wallace’s lawyers have strongly denied “he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”.
Oliver, who has worked on Great British Menu and presented her own show, Andi’s Fabulous Feasts, is one of the favourites tipped to replace him alongside MasterChef critic Grace Dent.
Meanwhile, bookmakers BetFred have also priced celebrity chef James Martin as a favourite, with odds of 5/2 to replace Wallace.
Trailing behind him are John’s wife Lisa Faulkner (who won Celebrity MasterChef in 2010) with odds of 3/1, Nigella Lawson at 4/1 and Gino D’Acampo at 5/1..