Penny Lancaster Alleges Gregg Wallace Harassment on MasterChef Prompting BBC Dismissal

Penny Lancaster has accused former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace of bullying, harassment, and threatening behavior during her 2021 stint on Celebrity MasterChef, describing incidents that left her "shaking" and in tears. In her autobiography "Someone Like Me," she details an episode where Wallace purposefully stole a flower from her dish and, when she asked for it back, refused and later dropped it on the floor, forcing her into a demeaning position. Lancaster claims no one, including co-judge John Torode or the production crew, intervened during these confrontations, and she felt that her distress was overlooked. Wallace and his legal team have denied the allegations of sexual harassment but apologized for a "difference in perception" concerning one incident of unwanted touching. The accusations contributed to Wallace stepping down and eventually being sacked by the BBC. Sir Rod Stewart, Lancaster's husband, publicly criticized Wallace, accusing him of bullying his wife on the show.