Gregg Wallace’s comments about middle class women were inappropriate and misogynistic, No 10 has said.
The former MasterChef presenter, 60, claimed allegations of sexually inappropriate behaviour made against him came from a “handful of middle-class women of a certain age”.
Wallace “stepped away” from the cooking show last week in the wake of allegations published by The Telegraph as part of a four-month investigation into his alleged behaviour.
Asked about Wallace’s remarks, Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesman said: “On this, as we said last week these allegations are obviously deeply concerning. It’s right that a thorough investigation is conducted.
“Obviously that’s for the BBC and the production company but I would add that the Culture Secretary spoke with the BBC leadership at the end of last week on this matter and wider workplace culture issues to seek assurances that there are robust processes in place to deal with the complaints.
“And as you know clearly the comments that we’ve seen from the individual over the weekend were completely inappropriate and misogynistic.”
The spokesman added: “As you know, the BBC is conducting an independent review into workplace culture, which must deliver clear and timely recommendations, and it’s essential that staff and the wider public have confidence that the BBC takes these issues seriously.”
Asked whether Sir Keir believed the BBC represented good value for taxpayer cash after another scandal involving one of its presenters, the spokesman replied: “As I say, it’s important that the public have got confidence that the BBC are taking these issues seriously.
“It’s right that the BBC are conducting this independent review, and the public would expect to see clear and timely recommendations, followed up on as result of this review.”
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It comes amid calls for the BBC to pull the current series of MasterChef off air.
The 17th series of MasterChef: The Professionals is due to air at 9pm on Monday, with the competition at the semi-final stage.
But Dr Rupa Huq, the Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton, said although Wallace has stepped back, it would make no difference as he would still be “dangled on our screens”.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Dr Huq said: “I think possibly there is an argument for pausing while this investigation takes its course and maybe not airing it tonight.
“It could be massively triggering for the women involved – in fact any woman involved in any type of similar incidents.
“Because otherwise – I know you’re saying he’s stopped presenting – but to the casual viewer there’s not going to be any difference if it’s on TV tonight.
“It looks like he got away with it and I think the BBC should send a strong signal.
“We need to let the investigation do its work but at the same time if he’s being dangled on our screens when all this is going on – I just think at the moment maybe pause it.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage on Monday described Wallace’s behaviour as “boorish”.
He told Talk TV: “He perhaps had a way of talking and behaving that we would call outdated to say the very least but his pushback strikes me as being somewhat catastrophic.
“It does show a certain arrogance, a certain incomprehension that he might have behaved badly so I think he’s dug himself an even deeper hole than he was in before.”
Mr Farage added: “I wasn’t defending his behaviour, I was just saying, people of a certain age who went to work forty years ago, kind of it was a bit like that in the workplace – it was pretty unpleasant for women… he seems to show no remorse whatsoever when clearly he has offended an awful lot of people
“What is surprising is that the BBC didn’t step in earlier and say, ‘Look, this is inappropriate, out of date and it really is actually genuinely upsetting some people, please change your behaviour’ and it seems that no one did that which I do find, particularly in the modern world, a bit odd.”
Last week, Banijay UK, the production company that makes MasterChef for the BBC, said it was conducting “an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate”.
Dr Rupa Huq added: “I feel that if you let this programme go out, it kind of sends the signal that it is okay. If it was taken off for now it would send a strong signal that this kind of behaviour is not acceptable.”
