The ghostwriter who worked on Gregg Wallace’s 2012 autobiography has alleged that he sexually harassed her during the course of the book project.
Shannon Kyle told BBC Newsnight that Wallace inappropriately touched her thigh while she was sitting as the passenger in his sports car and touched her bottom during an appearance at the Good Food Show.
Wallace’s legal representatives have denied these accusations, stating: “Our client has denied that he has engaged in any such behaviour, and he specifically denies any sexual misconduct with Ms Kyle.”
Kyle was employed to assist with Wallace’s 2012 book Life on a Plate when she claimed that the MasterChef presenter greeted her at his door wearing just a towel, which he later dropped. She alleged that he made “revolting” and “sickening” sexualised remarks to her and touched her inappropriately.
Although Kyle has authored several other books, she had signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before taking on the project. The NDA highlighted the “writer understands that Wallace enjoys a high public profile and her obligations to him of loyalty and confidentiality are therefore of particular significance.”
“I was worried about losing the job,” she told Newsnight. “Because I’d given up all the work for this job. So I thought to myself … I’m just going to try and navigate this, [I’ll] just try and push on through,” she added. “It was just really revolting.”
When the allegations of Wallace’s inappropriate comments and behaviour came to light last week, Kyle described it as “a long time coming” and labelled his conduct as “predatory.” She added, “Sometimes you do have to speak up for what’s right.”
The ghostwriter said that some people have dismissed Wallace’s alleged actions as “cheeky barrow-boy humour.” However, she strongly disagreed, calling it “revolting misogyny.”
Last week, BBC News aired similar allegations made by 13 individuals of varying ages who have worked across five different BBC productions and reported inappropriate sexual comments made by Wallace.
Among the accusers was former BBC Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark, who said that Wallace had shared stories and jokes of a “sexualised nature” in front of contestants and crew members while on Celebrity MasterChef.
Gregg Wallace
Melanie Sykes also came forward, revealing that she made an informal complaint about Wallace’s conduct, stating that her experience with him on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021 ultimately led to her decision to quit television.
On Tuesday, following Wallace’s apology for dismissing his accusers as “middle-class women of a certain age” and announcing that he would “take some time out,” the BBC removed two MasterChef Christmas specials from its schedule.
Wallace is now the subject of multiple misconduct allegations, with three claims specifically involving inappropriate touching. These claims are under investigation by MasterChef’s production company, Banijay UK. His lawyers have previously stated that Wallace denies any claims of sexual harassment.
As the number of accusations against Wallace continues to grow, his longtime co-host John Torode has described the situation as “truly upsetting” while also supporting the ongoing investigation into his behaviour.
The BBC has issued a statement expressing gratitude to those who have “had the courage to speak out” regarding the allegations against Wallace. The BBC spokesperson confirmed that Banijay UK had launched a review due to their contractual relationship with Wallace. They explained:
“He is not employed by the BBC. When issues have been raised, we have taken action, referring issues to the relevant production company and challenging his behaviour directly, as has been widely reported.”
The new claims come as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper commented on the allegations, describing them as “grim.” She stressed that employers need to take workplace harassment concerns seriously, stating during an interview:
“You should never underestimate women of a certain age,” she said. “Some of the stories we’ve heard really have been quite grim.”
Cooper acknowledged the difficulty of commenting on individual cases but emphasised that “the really, I think, depressing thing is that we hear the same story too many times” about those in positions of power abusing their status and the failure of organisations to address these concerns appropriately. She added, “And we do need employers to take these things seriously.”
On Monday, Wallace issued an apology for his previous statement in which he had attributed the complaints about his behaviour to “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age.”
