Gregg Wallace’s MasterChef replacement has been confirmed.
The 60-year-old presenter stepped back from the cooking show after nearly 20 years, as various allegations emerged that he had made sexual comments and behaved inappropriately to staff and guests.
Food critic and I’m a Celebrity star Grace Dent will be replacing Wallace, it has been confirmed. She regularly appears as a critic on MasterChef and is known for her straight-shooting comments.
Dent, 51, as well as being a food critic is also a journalist, author and broadcaster. She dramatically quit her stint on I’m a Celeb last year citing “medical grounds”.
She said: “I’ve been watching MasterChef since I was a girl sitting with my dad on the sofa. My whole family watches it. It’s all about uncovering and championing talent – and to have ended up in this position, is more than a dream to me.
“I’m so excited that I can’t eat, which is severely detrimental to a restaurant critic. I feel very lucky to be stepping in for the next Celebrity MasterChef.
“I can’t wait to meet the fresh celebrity faces for 2025.”
Meanwhile, co-host John Torode, who has presented MasterChef since 2005, said: “I have loved working with Grace on MasterChef over the years. She has been an excellent guest, an inspiring critic and also set some incredible challenges.
“Expertise is what MasterChef is all about, from the contestants to our wonderful production team, to us as judges.
“The love of food, the love of MasterChef, and that unquestionable expertise, makes Grace the perfect person to step in alongside me as judge for the forthcoming Celebrity MasterChef series.”
Rumours that Dent would be replacing Wallace emerged earlier this week as a source told The Sun on Sunday: “Grace is the perfect choice to replace Gregg on MasterChef. She’s knowledgeable about food and opinionated, plus it’s great to have a woman as a judge on the show.
“It will shake things up and give the series the boost it needs after such an upsetting and uncertain time.”
Kalpna Patel-Knight, the BBC’s head of entertainment, said: “Grace Dent is the perfect choice to step in for the next series of Celebrity MasterChef.
“Grace is not only an energetic and well-established member of the MasterChef team, but is also a world-renowned food critic, so she will certainly keep the next batch of celebrities on their toes.”
Wallace has vehemently denied all accusations.
“The allegations were investigated by the BBC six years ago, and my comments were found to be not sexual. I repeat not sexual,” he has said.
It was reported that the BBC had been made aware of complaints against Wallace as far back as 2017, while it was claimed that a letter had been sent to the broadcaster in 2022 stating that women had been made to feel “uncomfortable” in his presence.
A BBC spokesperson has said about the allegations against Wallace: “We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them. We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.”
