Victoria Derbyshire’s horrified response as Gregg Wallace’s ghostwriter reveals what he wished her to do with Eton Mess

Victoria Derbyshire was left visibly shocked by allegations levelled at MasterChef star Gregg Wallace by his former ghostwriter during her BBC Newsnight interview.

Shannon Kyle accused Wallace of sexually harassing her and making sexually inappropriate remarks whilst working alongside him on his 2012 memoir ‘Life on a Plate’.

During the interview, Derbyshire recoiled in horror as Ms Kyle recalled a work dinner in which she claims the culinary presenter said: ‘What would you think if I put some of the Eton Mess you’re eating on my w****, then?’

The alleged comment left Derbyshire gasping ‘Oh my God’. 

The interview came before Wallace’s MasterChef co-host John Torore last night revealed he had ‘repeatedly flagged’ the behaviour of Wallace to BBC bosses but that nothing was done.

Despite the allegations against Wallace, the BBC have also since confirmed that MasterChef will continue to air for at least another four seasons.

The celebrity chef has taken a step back from his presenting duties on the show in the wake of the historical allegations against him.

Wallace has maintained his innocence since the slew of allegations came to light and has denied any behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.

In the Newsnight interview about working with Wallace, Ms Kyle said that the first interview when working on his memoir went normally and they agreed to meet again whenever suited him.

Ms Kyle claimed that Wallace then began to describe his love detail in graphic detail on the second or third interview at his own restaurant at around 8am.

‘He was dating lots of different women. And he started telling me about these dates, who the women were, where he met them. And then in very graphic details, what sexual acts they had done together,’ Ms Kyle told Victoria Derbyshire.

‘He talked about spanking a lot. He also talked about one of his girlfriends on all fours in front of a mirror. He talked in incredibly sexual detail, which at the time it was just so shocking because it was completely unnecessary for the book.’

Ms Kyle said on one occasion, Wallace opened the door to his flat ‘completely naked, except for a towel around his waist’.

She claims that he said he had just got back from the gym and had a shower and that she should go into the living room.

Ms Kyle says she then asked Wallace: ‘Look, can you just go and get dressed?’

While waiting on the sofa, she claims that Wallace then returned in the towel and that his trousers were folded behind the cushion she was next to.

‘Then I kind of looked up and then he dropped the towel,’ she said.

Ms Kyle was asked whether the towel dropping could have been an accident, but she replied ‘definitely not’.

‘I felt quite vulnerable because I’m on my own in a flat with a man. He’s naked,’ she added.

Ms Kyle claims that she had signed a non-disclosure agreement before agreeing to write the book for Wallace.

The author said she was ‘worried about losing the job’ so she decided to ‘try and push through’, adding: ‘It was just really revolting.’

At a separate meeting during a restaurant meal, Ms Kyle claims that Wallace made sick sexual jokes, including: ‘If you won’t let me sleep with you, would you like my [anus]?’

Ms Kyle added: ‘And after rejecting his advances, he said I ‘should keep an open mind and he’d keep his k***clean next time’.

Ms Kyle has also alleged that Wallace picked her up in his sports car on the way to an interview before touching her thigh and knee while changing gear.

She said his behaviour made her move away and that she told him to stop, but when driving home he continued to do it again.

After threatening to hit Wallace, she said he finally stopped and did not try again.

However, Ms Kyle claims that the alleged harassment and inappropriate touching continued at a later date.

In one of her final interviews for the book, she claims that Wallace touched her on the bottom in a hotel car park in Birmingham – where the presenter was due to appear at the Good Food Show.

The BBC has now pulled its MasterChef Christmas specials amid a backlash as allegations continue to mount against the presenter.

It comes as Wallace’s co-host John Torode said he found the recent allegations ‘truly upsetting’ on Wednesday.

Torode, who has presented the BBC One cooking show alongside Wallace for the last 19 years, said: ‘The thought of anyone who has appeared on our show not having a brilliant experience is awful to hear, and I have found the recent press reports truly upsetting.’

In a statement posted on Instagram, Torode said he had been away filming MasterChef overseas since last Friday. 

‘I love my job, and I love MasterChef,’ he said. ‘I love being part of it and will continue to be part of it.

‘During the last few days, I’ve been trying to make the best cookery programme, so being busy making the show and caring for our contestants has allowed me little time to think about anything else, but that has been hard.’

Torode said he ‘fully’ supports the investigation into Wallace’s alleged historical misconduct, but could not comment further while it is ongoing.

‘I hope that you all understand and respect my silence on the matter moving forward,’ he added. 

Also on Wednesday, The Sun reported that BBC bosses received complaints about Wallace’s lewd behaviour on Strictly Come Dancing 10 years ago, but let him stay on the show.

The Beeb appeared to have not responded to claims.  

Wallace, who was paired with dancer Aliona Vilani, was accused of making sexual remarks in 2014. 

In one clip, Wallace says to his pro partner: ‘I haven’t worn a pair of pants since I was about 17-years-old.’

The presenter is then seen gesturing to his crotch which prompts a stunned Ms Vilani to ask, ‘You for real?’ 

He then gestures to his crotch, prompting a visibly uncomfortable Aliona to ask, ‘You for real?’

A BBC spokeswoman said of the Strictly complaint against Wallace: ‘Whilst we do not comment on individuals, we take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them. 

‘We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.’ 

It’s understood that at least one member of the show informed Strictly bosses and held meetings with them over his behaviour early on during the 2014 series.

But Wallace continued competing until he was the first celebrity eliminated in week two.

The presenter apologised on Monday for claiming in an Instagram video that complaints about his behaviour came from ‘a handful of middle-class women of a certain age’, and added he would ‘take some time out’.

He faces multiple complaints of inappropriate behaviour, originally from 13 people across a range of shows over a 17-year period which production company Banijay UK has said it is taking ‘incredibly seriously’ amid an external investigation.

Wallace said in a video posted to Instagram earlier this week: ‘I want to apologise for any offence that I caused with my post yesterday and any upset I may have caused to a lot of people.

‘I wasn’t in a good headspace when I posted it, I’ve been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion, I felt very alone, under siege yesterday, when I posted it.

‘It’s obvious to me I need to take some time out now, while this investigation is under way. I hope you understand and I do hope you will accept this apology.’