Downing Street has blasted Gregg Wallace’s comments over the weekend as “inappropriate and misogynistic” amid calls to take BBC MasterChef off-air.
The presenter, 60, took to social media on Sunday to challenge the accusations levelled at him, claiming they came from “middle-class women of a certain age”.
Mr Wallace has been accused of making inappropriate sexual remarks and jokes by 13 people over a 17 year period. He strongly denied the allegations in a statement issued via his legal representatives.
Speaking on Monday, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “As we said last week these allegations are obviously deeply concerning.
“It is right that a thorough investigation is conducted. Obviously that’s for the BBC and the production company. But I would add 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 there are robust processes in place to deal with complaints.”
They added: “Clearly the comments that we’ve seen from the individual over the weekend were completely inappropriate, misogynistic.
“More broadly as you know the BBC is conducting an independent review into workplace culture, which must deliver clear and timely recommendations. It’s essential for staff and the wider public to have confidence that the BBC takes this issue seriously.”
In a post on Instagram on Sunday, Mr Wallace said: “I’ve been doing MasterChef for 20 years, amateur, celebrity and professional MasterChef, and I think, in that time, I have worked with over 4,000 contestants of all different ages, all different backgrounds, all walks of life.
“Apparently now, I’m reading in the paper, there’s been 13 complaints in that time. I can see the complaints coming from a handful of middle-class women of a certain age, just from Celebrity MasterChef. This isn’t right.
“In 20 years, over 20 years of television, can you imagine how many women, female contestants on MasterChef, have made sexual remarks, or sexual innuendo? Can you imagine?”
The Masterchef presenter has stepped away from the BBC cooking show while the misconduct complaints are externally reviewed by producer Banijay UK.
But speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today, the Labour MP Rupa Huq, who sits on the Commons Culture Committee, called for the programme to be temporarily taken off-air.
She 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 incident.
She added: “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 sort of he got away with it.
“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 been dangled on our screens when all this is going on, I just think at the moment maybe pause it.”