BBC under scrutiny over 'MasterChef' host misconduct allegations

LONDON — The British government's culture secretary has held talks with the BBC as the broadcaster comes under growing scrutiny after one of its TV hosts drew an angry backlash for dismissing sexual misconduct allegations against him. Gregg Wallace, a long-time co-presenter on the popular cooking contest show "MasterChef," is facing allegations from multiple women that he made inappropriate sexual comments and behaved inappropriately on set over 17 years. Wallace, 60, said last week he was stepping away from the show while an investigation was launched into his alleged behavior. But his case received further attention Sunday, when he said in a social media post that the complaints came from "a handful of middle-class women of a certain age." His comments angered some of the women who made complaints against him. A spokesman for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office described Wallace's remarks as "completely inappropriate and misogynistic." The spokesperson, Dave Pares, said Monday that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy was seeking assurances from the BBC that the publicly funded broadcaster handled such complaints about workplace culture properly. Wallace apologized for his comments on Instagram on Monday, saying he needs to "take some time out." The BBC has faced questions on how it handles sexual misconduct allegations and how Wallace had continued to front some of its most popular shows for so long despite the complaints. Television presenter Aggie MacKenzie, who competed on "Celebrity MasterChef" in 2011, told ITV on Monday that Wallace made "endless smutty jokes" and alleged that "he's been allowed to carry on in his own sweet way for many, many years." She said his comments about his accusers illustrate "how he just has no insight or understanding of how he behaves. He just doesn't get it." Others have alleged that Wallace undressed in front of women working on his shows, made comments about his sex life or made women uncomfortable with sexualized jokes during filming. The BBC reported that 13 people who worked with Wallace over a range of shows have complained about inappropriate sexual comments. It reported that Wallace was warned by his employers after a complaint in 2018, and an internal investigation at the time found his behavior was "unacceptable and unprofessional." Wallace's lawyers have denied that he "engages in behavior of a sexually harassing nature." The BBC, which has said it has "robust processes" to deal with the issue, declined to comment on Wallace's case because of the ongoing investigation by "MasterChef"'s production company.