Penny Lancaster accuses Gregg Wallace of body shaming on MasterChef in new memoir
Lancaster says the former MasterChef host created a hostile environment for contestants, detailing incidents and remarks in her memoir as Wallace faced a long-running misconduct investigation.
Penny Lancaster says Gregg Wallace unnerved contestants from the moment he joined MasterChef and repeatedly targeted women with what she calls body-shaming remarks. In her memoir, Someone Like Me, the former contestant, who is married to Rod Stewart, describes her 2021 stint on the BBC cooking show as marked by an uneasy dynamic with the presenter.
Wallace’s conduct has been under scrutiny since he was sensationally axed from MasterChef this summer as part of an investigation into alleged misconduct spanning nearly two decades. A BBC-commissioned report later found multiple complaints, with 45 of them upheld, including one related to unwanted physical contact. Wallace rejected the criticism, once describing the accusations as stemming from a handful of middle-class women of a certain age, a remark he later apologized for. The decision to step away came after Banijay UK, the show’s production company, announced in November 2024 that Wallace would pause his role while the historic allegations were examined.
Lancaster recounts a moment with fellow contestant and former model Melanie Sykes during a 2021 filming day when Wallace approached her cooking station and asked, “Is it true that models don’t eat?” Lancaster says the remark was “out of order” and reflects broader concerns about eating disorders in the modelling industry. She notes that Sykes, who hadn’t modeled for about 25 years, shared her astonishment, and Lancaster says the exchange underscored a pattern of behavior she describes as body-shaming that persisted with Wallace throughout her time on set. Lancaster characterizes the host as someone who created tense moments with female contestants, contrasting him with John Torode, who she says was “far more serious and strict.”
The memoir details a separate incident in which Wallace clipped a flower from the top of Lancaster’s dish and pocketed it, only to throw it back onto the plate after she asked him to return it. She recalls feeling “un-nerved” by every interaction and says the atmosphere around Wallace felt hostile, particularly toward women. Lancaster adds that Wallace’s online statements after the story broke gave her a clearer sense of his intent and the dynamics at play on set.
The MasterChef controversy is rooted in a wider examination of Wallace’s conduct. Officials documented dozens of complaints linked to alleged inappropriate sexual comments and behavior spanning 2005 to 2018, with 45 substantiated cases. Some allegations involved inappropriate language, others involved instances of being in a state of undress, and one cited case of unwanted physical contact. Wallace has repeatedly denied the severity of the accusations. In public statements after the findings were released, he apologized for distress caused and said he never set out to harm or humiliate anyone. Downing Street condemned his remarks as inappropriate and misogynistic, reflecting the public and political sensitivity surrounding the matter.
Lancaster frames her account as part of a broader assault on women in the workplace. In her memoir, she writes that the episode’s impact extended beyond the studio and that she was compelled to come forward through the proper channels. She notes that by 2025 it remains distressing that such behavior still requires public censure and that program makers should strengthen safeguarding procedures. Her testimony is positioned alongside Banijay UK’s acknowledgement in 2024 that Wallace would step back from MasterChef during the investigation and the BBC’s reiteration that any behavior falling below the standards would not be tolerated.
In her closing remarks, Lancaster emphasizes a universal standard for workplace conduct: no woman should go to work fearing bullying or harassment, or return home knowing she has experienced it. Wallace’s representatives did not provide additional comment beyond prior statements, and the ongoing legacy of the MasterChef investigations continues to shape discussions about accountability and safety on reality TV sets.