29 May 2023 , 12:42
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Gregg Wallace is facing claims he quit as host of Inside The Factory after ‘offending female staff members’ on set.
He has denied using any "inappropriate banter".
The 58-year-old announced back in March that he was stepping away from the popular BBC show to focus on his family, including his three-year-old son Sid, who is autistic and non-verbal.
Gregg said his son, who he shares with wife Anne-Marie Sterpini, needs additional support with his education, and speaking on Gaby Roslin's BBC Radio London show earlier this year, he said it was time to step away.
Now, the former greengrocer is facing allegations of using “inappropriate banter” towards women while filming Inside the Factory, after an alleged incident at the Nestle UK factory in York.
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The former greengrocer recently stepped down from hosting the BBC show (BBC/Voltage TV)According to The Times, he is understood to have offended female workers with comments about their weight, and was “rude towards staff”.
The show has been filmed at the Yorkshire factory five times, and a source told the publication the incident prompted Gregg to quit.
“He was rude towards staff and continued to talk in a derogatory manner, especially to women,” they said, adding that the comments were not sexual but were “inappropriate”.
Gregg allegedly 'upset female workers' on set (BBC/Voltage TV)A complaint was lodged with Voltage TV, and Gregg was “given a talking to”.
“(He) was appalled that he had caused such offence,” the source continued, adding that Gregg was “just trying to be friendly”.
He quit his presenting gig on the show because he “no longer knew what the right thing to say was any more and decided to leave,” the source told the newspaper.
Gregg's also co-host of BBC's MasterChef (BBC/Voltage TV)The Mirror has approached Gregg’s rep, while a spokesperson for the BBC said there was “no comment”.
Gregg has presented the show for seven years, and had already filmed 12 episodes for the upcoming series before announcing his departure.
It’s understood he is still serving as presenter on the long-running BBC show MasterChef, alongside John Torode.