A MasterChef judge has revealed what it was really like on the BBC set with John Torode and Gregg Wallace after working with the TV duo for 20 years.
William Sitwell, 55, has been a regular on the cooking competition for around 20 years, as an extra judge who comes in for the quarter final episodes.
The food critic and journalist appeared on Vanessa Feltz’s self-titled Channel 5 chat show today to speak out on the controversy that has recently beset the programme.
John, 59, was axed from the cooking competition in an announcement from the broadcaster on Tuesday afternoon over a historic allegation of racism.
Meanwhile, Gregg, 60, was sacked earlier this month after a report upheld 45 of 83 complaints of inappropriate behaviour against him.
Their colleague William, speaking on Vanessa, defended the programme and its long-time hosts to the presenter, 63.
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A MasterChef judge has revealed what it was really like on the BBC set with John Torode and Gregg Wallace (pictured) after working with the TV duo for 20 years
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William Sitwell (left, with John and Gregg filming MasterChef), 55, has been a regular on the cooking competition for around 20 years, as an extra judge who comes in for the quarter final episodes
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Their colleague William, speaking on Vanessa, defended the programme and its long-time hosts to the presenter, 63
‘I wouldn’t argue with any of the allegations, that’s not for me to do that’, he began.
‘All I can say is based on my experience of being on that show for 20 years – and I’ve worked in quite a few offices, newspaper offices, which are quite harsh environments – the MasterChef studio is the kindest, most courteous, most loving, caring place I’ve ever worked.’
This comes from having seen it from both sides, he said, as both a judge and a contestant – he participated in a so-called battle of the critics a couple of years ago.
William said: ‘They literally hold your hand right up to the moment the cameras start rolling, they want you to perform the best and everyone’s incredibly kind and helpful.
‘Once the filming starts, you’re on your own, right?! And if you get in the doo doo, that’s up to you because that’s TV and that’s the fun of it.
‘But my experience was it was just the opposite of a toxic atmosphere.
‘And everything you read now, you’d think it was this terrible violent place of abuse, it’s just far from it.
‘That’s not to say, I wouldn’t question any of the allegations, that’s not for me to do and I wouldn’t attempt to do that.’
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He said: ‘The MasterChef studio is the kindest, most courteous, most loving, caring place I’ve ever worked’
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This comes from having seen it from both sides, he said, as both a judge and a contestant – he participated in a so-called battle of the critics a couple of years ago. Pictured: William, right, with Gregg, left, on MasterChef
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Of John in particular, William (pictured) commented: ‘I feel for him because I think he’s a very decent guy, he’s a very well-informed, charming, diligent, intelligent man’
The MasterChef judge also spoke out specifically on both John and Gregg.
The same report that saw Gregg sacked also found John had once used an ‘extremely offensive racist term’, allegedly during some drinks after filming.
John posted to Instagram on Tuesday evening to say he had ‘no recollection’ of the incident and did not believe it had happened.
He added: ‘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.’
A witness of the moment has claimed John apologised instantly and ‘was mortified’ and he ‘didn’t use the term as a slur’.
No one complained at the time, but the incident was brought up during Gregg’s inquiry, they added.
Emphasising the lack of clarity about when and how the moment happened, as well as the lack of offence the original person took at it, Vanessa asked William’s feelings on it all.
He replied: ‘I have no idea, it sounds a bit foggy.
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Speaking about both his fellow presenters, William added, when asked by Vanessa (pictured) if he ever saw anyone upset on set: ‘Not at all, not at all’
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When he would come in at the quarter final stages, there would be ‘a really great atmosphere because you get to know the contestants’, he explained
‘I feel for him because I think he’s a very decent guy, he’s a very well-informed, charming, diligent, intelligent man and I’m sad if something like that happened.
‘For me, it’s a degree of sadness because I think it’s a great show, I think it’s an important show, I think it’s a key part of British culture, I think it reflects British culture.’
It comes after John was left ‘heartbroken’ by discovering he had been dropped from MasterChef online.
A source told The Sun: ‘He read about it on the BBC News website.
‘Obviously he’s heartbroken. He feels he’s been made a scapegoat off the back of the Gregg Wallace report.’
Just after the news broke, the chef released a statement confirming he had not ‘heard from anyone at the BBC’ or the show’s production company Banijay UK.
His agent was reportedly called just 11 minutes before the BBC’s announcement – and so ‘hadn’t a chance to call him’ before word got out.
William appeared to take a swipe at this, when Vanessa introduced the topic of John’s sacking: ‘Apparently so. I think they forgot to tell him but that’s the way the world works, isn’t it?’
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It comes after John (pictured on MasterChef last year) was left ‘heartbroken’ by discovering he had been dropped from the programme online
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His agent was reportedly called just 11 minutes before the BBC’s announcement – and so ‘hadn’t a chance to call him’ before word got out. Pictured: John with Gregg on MasterChef
He also spoke on complaints made against Gregg, one of which includes an allegation he once took his trousers down in front of a female coworker in a dressing room, in what she described as ‘disgusting and predatory’ behaviour.
‘He never took his trousers down in front of me’, the judge said.
‘But what he always did – and I read about this when he quit – he is like a sort of Bernard Manning character, he cannot help but use the opportunity of seeing people to test out new gags, he is this sort of gag machine.
‘And I don’t get upset by his crazy jokes but I can see how other people might do.’
Asked if he ever thought any of the jokes were too much, he said: ‘No, because I can deal with it, I’m not easily offended.’
Speaking about both his fellow presenters, William added, when asked by Vanessa if he ever saw anyone upset on set: ‘Not at all, not at all.’
When he would come in at the quarter final stages, there would be ‘a really great atmosphere because you get to know the contestants’, he explained.
‘And I only ever saw warmth between the contestants and [Gregg] and also exactly the same with John.
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William said of Gregg (right, with John, left, on MasterChef): ‘He is like a sort of Bernard Manning character, he cannot help but use the opportunity of seeing people to test out new gags, he is this sort of gag machine’
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Asked if he ever thought any of Gregg’s jokes were too much, William said: ‘No, because I can deal with it, I’m not easily offended.’ Pictured: Gregg on Lorraine last year
‘So, I never saw anything untoward or ever felt uncomfortable in any of the studios.’
Interestingly, William had no doubt the show would have a future, when asked: ‘Definitely.
‘This is a show that is also in 85 different countries, hundreds of millions of people watch it…
‘I think that the UK is one domain where MasterChef is shown. It’s a global business, it’s one of the biggest global food brands, it’s one of the biggest global brands.
‘So, the brand itself is not in danger.’
William described the creation of MasterChef by executive Franc Roddam in 1990 with great nostalgia and fondness.
He said it marked a concerted effort to show off true British food culture – best reflected by amateur cooks, working at home – to its Hollywood naysayers.
These pure origins made the current scandal even sadder, the judge explained.
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Interestingly, William had no doubt the show would have a future. Pictured: John and Gregg in 2008
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A BBC spokesperson said: ‘John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him’. Pictured: The statement John posted on social media
‘The sadness for me is that it’s reflected the development, the exciting development in the food scene…,’ he said.
‘And it’s a shame that it’s now under this cloud for all the wrong reasons.’
In a statement regarding John on Tuesday afternoon, the BBC said it does not ‘tolerate racist language of any kind’ and takes the finding on him ‘extremely seriously’.
The move came after BBC director-general Tim Davie notably failed to back John and said he ‘expects action to be taken’ following the racism allegations.
He delivered the remarks as the BBC released its annual report – an occasion overshadowed by controversies for the second year in a row.
A BBC spokesperson said: ‘John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him.
‘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. John Torode denies the allegation.
‘He has stated he has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened.
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ITV are standing by under fire John, with sources at the channel telling MailOnline it will continue to broadcast John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen as scheduled on Saturday. Pictured: John and Lisa at the National Television Awards last year
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The much-loved cookery show (pictured), which launched in 2019, features John, 59, and his wife Lisa as they showcase their favourite recipes
‘He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment.
‘The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. 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.’
Banijay UK has also now said it has decided not to renew his contract.
ITV are standing by under fire John, with sources at the channel telling MailOnline it will continue to broadcast John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen as scheduled on Saturday.
The much-loved cookery show, which launched in 2019, features John, 59, and his wife Lisa as they showcase their favourite recipes.
An ITV source said: ‘There is no change to the ITV schedule and John and Lisa’s Weekends will be broadcast as usual and will continue to air for the next three weeks.’
It means the third episode of the tenth series of the show will be broadcast on ITV1 at 11.40am on Saturday.
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It means the third episode of the tenth series of the show will be broadcast on ITV1 at 11.40am on Saturday. Pictured: John and Lisa on This Morning earlier this month
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Meanwhile, BBC director general Mr Davie (pictured) has insisted MasterChef can still prosper despite the loss of Gregg and John
There are also plans for the broadcaster to welcome John back later in the year with John & Lisa’s Christmas Kitchen in December.
Meanwhile, BBC director general Mr Davie has insisted MasterChef can still prosper despite the loss of Gregg and John.
He said: ‘The BBC in some ways are quite simple on this, if someone is found to not live up to our values we expect the independent company, Banijay in this case, to take action and report back to us on what they have done.
‘These are not BBC employees, but we absolutely expect action to be taken.’
The director general added: ‘I think it’s a great programme that’s well loved by audiences is much bigger than individuals.
‘It absolutely can survive and prosper, but we’ve got to make sure we’re in the right place in terms of the culture of the show.’
A Banijay spokesperson said: ‘In response to John Torode’s statement, it is important to stress that Banijay UK takes this matter incredibly seriously.
‘The legal team at Lewis Silkin that investigated the allegations relating to Gregg Wallace also substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018.
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The director general added: ‘I think it’s a great programme that’s well loved by audiences is much bigger than individuals’. Pictured: John and Gregg on MasterChef last year
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It comes after his co-star Gregg (pictured on Good Morning Britain in 2023) hit out at the BBC after a probe upheld more than half of the complaints of inappropriate behaviour against him as he warned he ‘won’t be the last’ to be cancelled
‘This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint. Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.’
John is said to have been the subject of multiple allegations before only one – relating to ‘racist language’ – was upheld, The Telegraph has reported.
It comes after his co-star Gregg hit out at the BBC after a probe upheld more than half of the complaints of inappropriate behaviour against him as he warned he ‘won’t be the last’ to be cancelled.
The report into Gregg’s behaviour on the cooking show upheld 45 out of 83 complaints made, including one count of ‘unwanted physical contact’, leaving the BBC to admit it ‘could and should have’ acted sooner on the MasterChef host.
The damning investigation also found two complaints about the behaviour of ‘other people’ – including John – were upheld.
While apologising for any ‘distress’ he caused, Gregg took aim at the MasterChef broadcaster, which he claims valued ‘protecting its legacy’ over ‘protecting people’.
Warning it was ‘dangerous’ to be a ‘working-class man with a direct manner’ in the world of broadcasting, he said he ‘won’t be the last’ to face cancellation.
The presenter said: ‘In the end, the BBC left me exposed to trial by media and the damage it leaves in its wake.
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Gregg has recently taken aim (pictured) at the MasterChef broadcaster
‘To those who’ve shown kindness, thank you. It mattered. This has been brutal.
‘For a working-class man with a direct manner, modern broadcasting has become a dangerous place. I was the headline this time. But I won’t be the last.
‘There will be more casualties if the BBC continues down this path, where protecting its legacy matters more than protecting people.
‘For my part, with full legal support, I will consider my next move.’
