The BBC has responded to whether or not new MasterChef episodes featuring Gregg Wallace are set to air.

This comes after the co-host was announced to be leaving the show after 19 years following allegations that he made inappropriate sexual comments in previous series.

13 people have reportedly made allegations against the presenter, including BBC’s Kirsty Wark.

The BBC released the following statement to PA after the production company behind MasterChef, Banijay UK, announced he would be leaving the show: “We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them.

The MasterChef co-host will leave the show after 19 years (BBC)

“We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.

“Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company, we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them.”

Many will be questioning whether, in light of the severity of the allegations, MasterChef will continue to air as normal.

The next episode of the current season is scheduled to air at 8pm tonight (November 28).

A spokesperson for the BBC confirmed that this was still the case despite the allegations, saying: “All recorded episodes will TX (broadcast) as planned.”

Wallace presented alongside co-host John Torode (SOPA Images via Getty Images)

The news is sure to be a shock to viewers, who will be tuning into the show knowing that the episodes airing will be Wallace’s last after 19 years.

Bainjay UK released the following statement in which they announced the departure of Wallace, who joined the show in 2005: “This week the BBC received complaints from individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with presenter Gregg Wallace on one of our shows.

“Whilst these complainants have not raised the allegations directly with our show producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel that it is appropriate to conduct an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate.

“While this review is underway, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully cooperating throughout the process.

The presenter’s last MasterChef episodes will air as normal (Ben A Prunchie via Getty Images)

“Banijay UK’s duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions, with multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously, clearly promoted on set.

“Whilst these are historical allegations, incidences brought to our attention where these expectations are not met, are thoroughly investigated and addressed appropriately.”

The statement added: “If anyone would like to talk to us or raise any issues or concerns, then they can contact speakup@banijayuk.com in confidence.”

LADbible Group has contacted representatives for Gregg Wallace for comment.

Plenty of people who watched last night’s MasterChef: The Professionals ended up horrified by the dishes being served up on their screens.

The show’s finalists Kasae, Tom and Tommy ended up going to an experimental restaurant in Copenhagen, Denmark called Alchemist.

The show described it as ‘the world’s most daring restaurant’ and chef Rasmus Munk demonstrates to diners some uncomfortable truths about where their food comes from.

The trio of chefs were shown some of the dishes Rasmus likes to cook up and they were talked through a table of ingredients made from ‘food waste’.

Chicken blood, the windpipes of a pig, lamb’s brains, fish eyes and cow udders were all presented to them, while the three were also shown a dish where the meal was stuffed into a chicken’s foot.

BBC

It was meant as a commentary on battery hens and the ingredients being by-products of the meat industry was no coincidence either.

However, it was all a bit much for many people who were watching at home and said they thought they were watching something closer to The Menu or Silence of the Lambs than MasterChef: The Professionals.

For those unfamiliar with culinary movies, The Menu is set in a very prestigious restaurant where the dishes continue to be increasingly deranged and dangerous, while Silence of the Lambs is about a guy who eats people.

Lots of MasterChef viewers took to social media to beg that the show never go back to Alchemist ever again, with one writing that they ‘had to switch off’ when they realised the entire episode was set in the Danish restaurant.

Another said they understood some food was ‘out there’ and ‘avant garde’ but their review of the restaurant was ‘just utter b******s’.

BBC

Others said they ‘caught definite Menu vibes coming from this Danish restaurant’ and if you’ve seen the movie you’ll know that’s definitely not a good thing.

Someone else wondered if their fellow viewers were ‘getting Hannibal Lecter vibes’ instead and they got quite a few folks agreeing with them that the ingredients laid out by the restaurant were putting them off badly.

“It’s like something out of Silence of the Lambs,” another wrote, denouncing it as ‘the worst episode of MasterChef: The Professionals I’ve ever seen’.

Judging by the reactions to the episode this one certainly wasn’t for the faint-hearted and might not have been a great advert for Alchemist.

MasterChef: The Professionals concludes tonight at 8pm on BBC One.

Viewers have slammed a ‘ridiculous’ question on This Morning as Si King of the Hairy Bikers went on to pay tribute to his late best friend, Dave Myers.

King appeared on the show to discuss his late friend eight months after his passing, paying an emotional tribute to Myers.

The pair appeared together on various TV shows over the course of a 20 year collaboration, running from 2004.

The pair were friends for decades, and appeared on TV together for 20 years (Dave M Benett via Getty Images)

The Hairy Bikers were both celebrity chefs, known best for combining their love of cuisine with travelling the world on motorcycles.

Myers died eight months ago after revealing in 2022 that he had been diagnosed with cancer.

The news was announced by King, who put out a statement, part of which said:

“Last night, on 28th February 2024, with Lili, Dave’s wife, his family, close friend David and myself by his side, [Dave Myers] passed away peacefully at home.

“All who knew Dave are devastated at his passing.

“Personally, I am not sure I can put into words on how I feel at the moment. My best friend is on a journey that for now, I can’t follow. I will miss him every day and the bond and friendship we shared over half a lifetime.”

In his appearance on This Morning, King heartbreakingly said: “The amount of times I’ve thought, ‘I’ve not heard from that toerag for ages…’ and then I go ‘Oh man…’

Si King opened up on This Morning (ITV)

“It’s raw for anybody that loses somebody, but there are two things that are certain in life – you begin it, and you end it. The bit in the middle is about what you do with it. Dave loved his life, he lived it to the full and he was joyous to be around.”

He also said that it’s incredibly difficult because ‘he was my best mate, he still is my best mate. That never goes does it?’

At one point in the show, however, Cat Deeley asked: “Have you found the whole process difficult? Or are you still dealing with it? How do you feel?”

Whilst King didn’t appear to take issue with the question, viewers have.

One commented: “Great guy ! … spoilt by Cat asking the most ridiculous question !!!!”

Another said: “It seems that Cat has possibly not yet lost anyone close to her, given that strange question.”

A ‘certified Grief Educator’ said: “Journalists really should have training on specific grief interviews before asking such things like ‘have you found it difficult.’”

In response to the question, King said: “The grieving process started quite a long time ago for me, it’s a very personal thing.

“When Dave was diagnosed, it was a big diagnosis. It kind of started then really because it was all about the fight and that’s what we concentrated on, just about the fight. That was easier in a way.

“Grief is a very individual journey because it’s about an emotional adjustment of loss and the things that are no longer tangible, and that’s the bit that’s odd to get your head around.”

Watching a film as a child is a surefire way to develop a lifelong fear of something if you ask me.

Am I a fully grown adult? Yes. Am I still terrified of beetles because of The Mummy? Also yes.

So, many like me can trace their fears to certain films, whether it be being terrified of trucks full of logs because of Final Destination 2, or being terrified of your neighbours because your sister tricked you into watching Disturbia far too young.

Definitely not me, just an overly specific example.

Some viewers are joining me in this film-based-fear – and are saying that their childhood fear can be traced back to ‘the most depressing film ever made’.

This look back has come after it was shown on TV last night for only the fourth time ever.

The film in question is Threads, and one viewer tweeted this last night after watching it:

“Just finished watching Threads which was on TV for only the 4th time in 40 years this evening.

“All that childhood fear of nuclear annihilation can probably be traced back to this film. Terrifying and bleak.”

The movie was released in 1984, at the height of fears around nuclear war.

Threads sees Sheffield hit by a nuclear blast after war breaks out between the US and The Soviet Union.

The aftermath shown in the film is horrifying, with others pointed to how utterly bleak the movie is, and how terrified it has left them.

One fan tweeted: “Should not have watched Threads before bed. Everyone always comments on how unremittingly f*cking bleak it is but that really doesn’t prepare you for how unremittingly f*cking bleak it is.”

Another replied saying: “Did you see it as a child in the 80s? Unremittingly f*cking bleak is an understatement.”

A fan also tweeted: “40 years and still one of the most horrifying things I have ever seen #Threads”.

A second said: “To those watching #Threads for the first time tonight on BBC4….sleep well!”

This video fairly summed up the reactions of most last night watching for the first time.

One 9/10 review on IMDb saw someone clearly affected by these same fears mentioned above, as they said: “I have to say it is absolutely terrifying and utterly terrifying in the extreme.

“This could have actually happened! I was impressed by the way the film conveyed what it would be like if thousands of megatons of atomic bomb was dropped on the U.K. Normal life comes to an abrupt stop.

“One minute people are shopping in their local supermarket, going to the pub and wallpapering their new flat and suddenly they are plunged into Hell.

“Civilisation is blown back into the stone age.

An iconic image from Threads (BBC)

“Since the Cold War ended people have stopped being frightened of nuclear weapons.

“Everybody in every country should watch this film and realise that if there ever was a nuclear war, still possible with growing tensions between a superpower and its rivals, those left alive would wish they had been caught in the blasts and killed outright.”

If you fancy a cheery weekend viewing, Threads is on BBC iPlayer now.