Banijay report on Gregg Wallace: Comment from CMS Committee Chair Dame Caroline Dinenage MP

Responding to the publication of the investigation into the behaviour of Gregg Wallace, Chair of the CMS Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, said:

“More than half of the allegations have been substantiated - showing long-standing failure to protect people against unacceptable workplace behaviour.

The majority of accusations pre-date 2019 and a confused complaints process and inadequate record keeping meant missed opportunities to address it. Most complaints were not raised with Mr Wallace himself, suggesting a reluctance to confront this head on and risk upsetting the on-screen talent.

Recent progress to weed out unacceptable behaviour in the industry, like the BBC's Workplace Culture Review, risks being undermined with the raft of new claims relating to Mr Wallace. When complainants still find it easier to go to the press rather than use internal processes, there is clearly still a long way to go.

This report sets out the facts. It is for Banijay and the BBC to say what comes next. Acknowledging the need for change at MasterChef is a welcome first step. Both Banijay and the corporation now need to raise their game to ensure their complaints process is robust enough to inspire confidence in both staff and freelancers.”