Gregg Wallace was the reason I quit TV, says Melanie Sykes | Gregg Wallace

Melanie Sykes has revealed she made an off-the-cuff criticism about Gregg Wallace, saying that having to work with him on Movie star MasterChef in 2021 was the explanation why she give up TV.

On Monday evening the BBC rejected calls to tug the cookery present from its scheduled slot, on a day Wallace apologised for dismissing his accusers as “middle-class ladies of a sure age”.

Two extra episodes of MasterChef: the Professionals are resulting from air this week, on Tuesday evening and Thursday. The BBC has insisted they are going to be proven as deliberate.

Wallace stepped again from his function on MasterChef final week. Allegations of previous misconduct – together with three of inappropriate touching – are being investigated by Banijay, the programme’s manufacturing firm.

Sykes used a YouTube video to increase on feedback that she had initially made about Wallace in her autobiography, Illuminated, which was printed final 12 months. In it, she wrote that “the MasterChef expertise continued to be an eye-opener, and a few unprofessional behaviour on set was jaw-dropping”.

Within the YouTube video, she addressed what she described as final week’s “bombshell” information round Wallace and stated: “Each time Gregg came to visit to the desk, I didn’t actually like him being round.”

Sykes additionally stated that she had complained after her stint on the present, including: “I stated I didn’t wish to make a proper criticism as a result of I’d spend all my time in litigation and I feel that is among the explanation why folks don’t go for it.”

Her feedback got here as Vanessa Feltz claimed that Wallace had, on first assembly a pal of hers, described in a BBC raise a intercourse act he had carried out.

Feltz additionally used YouTube to make her feedback, referring to a pal who didn’t know Wallace, had by no means met him earlier than and was in a raise with “a younger woman” who labored on one other present.

“So the three of them have been going up within the raise collectively and utterly unprompted Gregg Wallace described a intercourse act that he had carried out on his then spouse that morning,” she stated. “So my pal had not met Greg Wallace earlier than, hadn’t requested him about his intercourse life. Was merely taking him to take part in a BBC programme, and the younger woman within the raise was simply an harmless passenger.”

She added: “So that is one thing {that a} very shut pal and affiliate of mine instructed me about on the time. What did anybody do about it? After all, completely nothing.”

The claims by Feltz and Sykes got here amid mounting strain on the BBC to take Wallace off air whereas allegations about sexual feedback and inappropriate touching by the 60-year-old are investigated.

Stephen Fry instructed Sky Information on Tuesday morning that it was “unbelievably silly” of Wallace to publish his “middle-class ladies of a sure age” video.

He stated: “Good manners have modified. In Victorian instances, sure issues couldn’t be referred to or seen and it was solely well mannered to obey this as a result of folks have been shocked and upset if issues weren’t revered that they respect.

“And so I feel we’ve all simply obtained to understand it’s not about wokeness, it’s nearly being delicate to the environment.”

Jess Phillips – the Labour MP and minister for safeguarding and violence towards ladies and ladies – stated on Tuesday that she was snug with MasterChef persevering with to air whereas the host Wallace was investigated over his alleged behaviour.

She instructed BBC Breakfast: “Gregg Wallace isn’t the one individual on MasterChef. If it was simply the Gregg Wallace present, then I might perceive that you’d instantly go, yeah, simply take it off the air.”

The overview might be performed by the regulation agency Lewis Silkin, Banijay has confirmed. Wallace’s legal professionals have stated he has denied any sexually harassing behaviour.