Ulrika Jonsson Slams Gregg Wallace Over Crude Remarks and Defends Accusers

Ulrika Jonsson has expressed her fury after MasterChef host Gregg Wallace doubled down on his previous “crude and sleazy” remarks about women, reported by the Mirror. Wallace’s comments, made in a recent Instagram video, added fuel to the ongoing controversy surrounding him and the BBC show MasterChef.

The TV presenter and columnist was particularly angered by Wallace’s reference to his accusers as “middle-class women of a certain age,” which she found both offensive and ironic. In her response, Jonsson said, “Somewhere in his misogynistic, thoughtless, ancient mind he felt it appropriate to tell the world this. Oh, Gregg. Your ignorance and arrogance know no bounds. Firstly, you have no clue what ‘class’ of women it is that have made complaints about you.”

Jonsson, who has been vocal in the past about Wallace’s behavior, continued to criticize him for the comments. She pointed out that his reference to “women of a certain age” was particularly ironic, as many women of her generation, Generation X, have been subjected to sexist and misogynistic remarks throughout their lives, especially in the workplace. “We’ve been on the receiving end of these crude, sleazy comments and physical contact since our teens,” she added.

Jonsson’s ire, published by The Sun, comes as Gregg Wallace, 60, is stepping away from MasterChef while the BBC conducts an internal investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior spanning a 17-year period. Despite Wallace’s official denial of the allegations, his attempt to clear his name via Instagram only seemed to escalate the situation. His comments, including the controversial “middle-class women” remark, have been heavily criticized by public figures, including Jonsson and Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha.

Sawalha, who won Celebrity MasterChef in 2007, said she was “horrified” by Wallace’s response to the accusations. Jonsson, who had previously slammed Wallace for a vile joke he made about a distressed contestant, also called on the BBC to take accountability for allowing Wallace’s behavior to go unchecked. She stated, “However much the BBC considered this ‘cheeky chappy’ to be popular with the public because of his simplicity, it is just not good enough to brush off any complaints with the excuse that ‘it’s just how Gregg is.’”

Following the backlash, Wallace issued an apology for his initial Instagram video. However, the controversy continues to linger as the BBC investigates the claims.