John Torode has been dismissed from his role as presenter on MasterChef following the substantiation of an allegation that he used ‘an extremely offensive racist term’ in the workplace. The decision, made after a lengthy independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin and commissioned by the show's producer Banijay UK, has thrown the future of the long-running BBC cooking competition into uncertainty.
A spokesperson for the BBC said: ‘This allegation – which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace - was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm, Lewis Silkin.
‘We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.’
Torode expressed disappointment over how the news was communicated, revealing he first learned of his dismissal through media reports, rather than the BBC or Banijay UK.
It comes after he identified himself as one of the individuals facing allegations upheld by an inquiry into separate misconduct complaints against Gregg Wallace.
In an Instagram post, Torode claimed he has no memory of the incident and does not believe that it happened, writing:
‘For the sake of transparency I can confirm that I am the individual who is alleged to have used racial language on one occasion. The allegation is that I did so sometime in 2018 or 2019, in a social situation, and that the person I was speaking with did not believe that it was intended in a malicious way and that I apologised immediately afterwards.’
Despite claims that he ‘would not go quietly’, Torode's co-host Gregg Wallace has been fired by the BBC - a decision made shortly before the Silkin investigation upheld 45 allegations out of 83, including sexual language, inappropriate humour, being in a state of undress, and one allegation of unwanted physical contact.
Banijay UK confirmed that ‘the number of sustained allegations makes Gregg Wallace’s return to MasterChef untenable.’
Now, with both hosts out of the picture, questions remain about the direction and future of the series, including the anticipated MasterChef 2025 series, which typically airs in late Spring. The BBC has stated that no final decision has yet been made regarding the airing of the series already filmed or upcoming episodes, with discussions ongoing among the leadership at both the BBC and Banijay UK.
Despite the controversies, BBC Director-General Tim Davie has affirmed that ‘MasterChef is much bigger than individuals’ and that the show will continue, but with a renewed focus on maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment within its production.’
Stay in the loop with the SquareMeal newsletter. Expect more stories like this, big hospitality news, and restaurant recommendations delivered straight to your inbox.
Image credit: BBC One