Melanie Sykes 'decided to quit TV' after Gregg Wallace's brutal comment
Melanie Sykes revealed she quit 'mainstream TV for good' after a comment from Gregg Wallace during her appearance on MasterChef.
The 53-year-old TV star shot to fame as a host on Today with Des and Mel with Des O'Connor and Let's Do Lunch with Gino D'Acampo. Melanie has been a co-presenter for the past two decades and began her illustrious career by hosting Sky One’s Real TV UK series, which led to appearances on shows such as The Big Breakfast and The Paul O’Grady Show.
However, Sykes has taken a step back from her hosting duties in recent months following her stint on the BBC cooking show Celebrity MasterChef in 2021, when she vowed to turn her back on TV for good.
Melanie Skyes says she's quit TV for good (Getty Images for eONE)
Melanie on Celebrity MasterChef 2021 (BBC/Shine TV)Melanie revealed her experience on the show was far from a pleasant one and shared she felt as though she was 'thrown under a bus' following a remark from food critic Gregg Wallace. In her autobiography, titled, Illuminated: Autism & All The Things I’ve Left Unsaid, Melanie recalls a moment with MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace which made her rethink her entire TV career and all of her future TV prospects.
The TV star recalled being told by Gregg that her appearance on the BBC reality show would be a boost to her career as he told her it 'would do a lot for you'.
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Foodie Gregg Wallace (BBC/Shine TV)In an interview with The Guardian in 2022, Mel said that she made the huge decision to end her "television career once and for all." She told the publication at the time: "I will no longer be tap-dancing for corporations who couldn’t give two boots about my wellbeing. Mainstream TV just doesn’t interest me.”
Melanie had recently been a host on Shop Well for Less alongside former Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page. However, the 52-year-old was dealt a blow after the broadcaster made decision to axe the show - as well as Jordan Banjo's Eat Well for Less series.
A BBC spokesperson told TVZone back in June: "Sometimes we have to make difficult decisions in order to make way for new shows and we currently have no plans to bring back Eat Well For Less or Shop Well For Less,”
"We would like to thank the team at RDF West who produced both series, and presenters Chris Bavin and Jordan Banjo, and Joanna Page and Melanie Sykes, for all their hard work and enthusiasm bringing these shows to our screens,” they added.
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