Masterchef’s John Torode was asked to resign by the BBC (Image: Getty)

TV chef John Torode was asked to resign from Masterchef after he was “alleged to have used racial language on one occasion” while presenting the flagship BBC cookery competition. However the 59-year-old Australian chef says he believes it never even happened. Despite this, John was reportedly called by the BBC on the night of Thursday June 10, followed by an email on Friday June 11, asking him to step back from the show. He was told to have his answer by Monday.

The dad of four issued a statement confirming he was the individual flagged in the Gregg Wallace investigation. “The allegation is I did so sometime between 2018 or 2019, in a social situation, and the person I was speaking with did not believe it was intended in a malicious way and I apologised immediately afterwards. I have absolutely no recollection of any of this, and I do not believe that it happened,” he said.

“However, I want to be clear that I’ve always had the view that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment.

“I’m shocked and saddened by the allegation as I would never wish to cause anyone any offence,” he said in a statement on Instagram.

A source told The Sun John, who is married to actress and ex-Celebrity MasterChef contestant Lisa Faulkner, 53 was said to be “absolutely devastated to have been pulled into this mess”.

They explained the incident happened while he was having post-filming drinks and he apologised instantly. They added the witness in the investigation had confirmed he didn’t use the term as a slur and no one had complained at the time.

John Torode found himself accused of making a racial slur as part of the Gregg Wallace investigation (Image: BBC)

Writing to his 212,000 followers on Instagram John confirmed the rumours, explaining he was speaking out “for the sake of transparency”. His post read: “Following publication of the Executive Summary of the investigation into Gregg Wallace while working on MasterChef, I am aware of speculation that I am one of the two other individuals against whom an allegation has been upheld.

“For the sake of transparency, I 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.

“I have absolutely no recollection of any of this, and I do not believe that it happened. However, I want to be clear that I’ve always had the view that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment. I’m shocked and saddened by the allegation as I would never wish to cause anyone any offence.”

This latest MasterChef bombshell comes as a report upheld 45 of 83 allegations of bad behaviour against his co-host Gregg Wallace, who was axed last week.