John Torode’s Silence on Gregg Wallace’s Scandal Raises Eyebrows Amid Claims
John Torode has remained silent following the allegations made against his long-time MasterChef co-star, Gregg Wallace, and it appears that his silence may stem from past comments and tensions between the two.
Wallace, 60, announced last week that he would be stepping down from the BBC cooking show amid an external investigation into his behavior following misconduct claims. Newsnight host Kristy Wark is one of the 13 individuals accusing Wallace of making inappropriate sexual comments. Wallace has denied the allegations, stating that the claims have come from a “handful of middle-class women of a certain age, just from Celebrity MasterChef,” and he later apologized for the remarks. In a social media video, Wallace expressed regret for “any offence” caused, citing that he was “under siege” and not in the best headspace when he made the initial video, according to the Mirror.
Despite these developments, his MasterChef co-star John Torode, 59, has not commented publicly on the situation. The pair, who have co-hosted MasterChef since its revival in 2005, have had a complex relationship over the years, with Torode admitting in past interviews that they have never been close friends.
In a 2017 interview with The Mirror, Torode revealed that he and Wallace had never visited each other’s homes, saying, “It’s funny, we’ve never been friends. We’ve not been to each other’s houses. He’s so OCD, he wouldn’t know what to do.” He added that even when they traveled together for work, they often did their own thing. “If we do go out for a drink, I’ll invariably be at one end of a big old table, and he’ll be at the other,” Torode said.
Further fueling speculation of a rift, Wallace alluded to a falling out in a 2020 interview with Hello! Magazine, acknowledging that while they were “mates,” they had to ensure their professional relationship stayed intact. Torode had previously commented on Wallace’s behavior, revealing in 2022 that he was frustrated by Wallace’s habit of making early morning phone calls, something that reportedly caused tension in his home.
Amid the current scandal, Torode’s silence has left Wallace reportedly “furious,” with sources claiming Wallace feels betrayed. A source told The Sun, “Gregg is absolutely furious and is convinced he has done nothing wrong. Seeing John keeping quiet amid all of this has irked him hugely.”
Torode has since unfollowed Wallace and his wife, Lisa Faulkner, on Instagram, adding fuel to the speculation about the state of their relationship.