Christmas Specials Being Pulled From the Air After Star Accused of Sexual Misconduct

MasterChef fans in the UK won’t be able to watch a previously scheduled Christmas-themed episode. Deadline reports the episodes have been pulled from the air amid Gregg Wallace’s sexual misconduct allegations, despite initially claiming all episodes would air.

Wallace has stepped away from the show as producer. But BBC News has confirmed the Christmas episodes have been scrapped. More than a dozen women have accused Wallace of making sexually inappropriate comments, including ex-Newsnight host Kirsty Wark. BBC intended to initially move forward with the episodes to ensure payment for freelancers who worked on the project, but they’ve reneged on the decision. 

Once the allegations were publicized, the decision was altered to cut two holiday specials. The remaining episodes of MasterChef: The Professionals will continue airing over the next couple of weeks, however. 

A government spokesperson has criticized Wallace’s initial response to the allegations. He alleged the allegations were from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age.”

But he recently apologized for his response, noting “it’s obvious to me I need to take some time out.” In an Instagram apology, Wallace wrote: “I want to apologise for any offence that I caused with my post yesterday and any upset I may have caused to a lot of people. I wasn’t in a good head space when I posted it. I’ve been under a huge amount of stress a lot of emotion. I felt very alone, under siege yesterday when I posted it,” he said in a video. 

The investigation is ongoing. BBC News reported accusations that Wallace made inappropriate sexual comments to co-workers over a 17-year period, with 13 different people suing. He is reportedly cooperating with authorities. 

Wallace is stating his innocence. His lawyers released a statement saying the allegations against him are “entirely false.”

Some of the allegations include him talking openly about his sex life, taking his top off in front of a female worker, saying he wanted to “give her a fashion show,” and telling a junior female colleague he wasn’t wearing any underwear, per The Hollywood Reporter.