For me, no TV show has ever been quite as comforting as Masterchef. The BBC's cooking competition, which sees amateur home cooks compete in a series of challenges for the coveted title of 'Masterchef', has long been my Sunday hungover TV show of choice, the series I stick on after a long day at work, and the programme I can play when everything just feels too much. Thanks to its formulaic challenges, displays of delicious food and a cast that is always supportive of each other, watching it has always brought me joy and calmness.
But now, after nearly a decade of dedicated viewing, I'm considering not turning the TV on this year.
In November 2024, one of Masterchef's two presenters Gregg Wallace faced allegations of inappropriate sexual comments from 13 people across a range of shows over 17 years. Wallace stepped away from the series, and Banijay (the production company behind the show) announced it was conducting an external review into the claims. Then, in July, BBC News reported that Banijay had concluded "[of the] 83 complaints made against Wallace, more than 40 upheld, including one of unwelcome physical contact and another three of being in a state of undress." Wallace then insisted he had been cleared of "the most serious and sensational allegations".
Since then, co-presenter John Torode's departure from the series has also been confirmed, with the same Banijay report revealing a complaint was upheld against Torode, which, according to BBC News, "related to a severely offensive racist term allegedly used on the set of MasterChef in 2018."
Torode said he had "no recollection" of the incident but that any racist language is "wholly unacceptable".
Despite their departure, the new season, which was largely filmed prior to November 2024, began airing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer last night, with the broadcaster explaining they had chosen to air the show because of the contestants' achievements.
"In showing the series, which was filmed last year, it in no way diminishes our view of the seriousness of the upheld findings against both presenters," the channel said. "However, we believe that broadcasting this series is the right thing to do for these cooks who have given so much to the process. We want them to be properly recognised and give the audience the choice to watch the series."
While I would usually be logging straight into iPlayer to watch the series, I've found myself reluctant to hit play. Is it right to support a show that featuring the two presenters to have a platform? Many don't think so.
Over on X, one person wrote of the airing: "Disgusting decision by the @BBC and you have nothing to be proud of either," before adding: "It's about victims of misogyny and racism seeing the leering dinosaurs who insulted them appearing on their TV screens."
Another agreed, saying they were going to boycott the show. "The BBC decision to air this series of MasterChef is appalling. It sends the wrong message, particularly to anyone who has experienced sexual harassment, sexual abuse or racial slurs. I stand with the victims who stood up to sex-pest Greg Wallace and am boycotting it."
However, for many viewers, myself included, it seems a shame that the achievements and work of the 50 contestants shouldn't see the light of day, just because of the actions of the two presenters.
As one person wrote: "I'm glad they're showing #Masterchef - after all the hard work they've put in, it's only fair on the contestants that it's aired." And another shared a similar sentiment: "As much as it's attracted a lot of negative headlines, I'm glad the #BBC is airing the latest series of #Masterchef - to not do so would be punishing the contestants for the wrongs of the presenters."
That being said, one of this series' contestants Sarah Shafi argued the series shouldn't air - and asked the BBC not to show it. She initially rejected the BBC's offer to edit her out of the series, but once she discovered it would be going to air, she agreed to be removed from the episodes.
She's since explained her decision to The Guardian, saying: "I didn’t say 'edit me out'. I said: ‘Axe the show, don’t air the show. I’m asking you not to air the show.’ Prominent figures have been abusing their power. What message does that send out to women?
“For me, it’s about the enabling environment. It’s that complicity. Those individual powerful men do not [act] in isolation. There is an enabling environment, turning a blind eye … It’s about years of these institutions not being accountable.”
Knowing how at least one person from the actual cast feels, clicking play on the episode this morning felt like uncomfortable feeling. While I'd like nothing more than to binge-watch the show, drooling over culinary creations and seeing what the contestants come up with for the invention test, actually doing it feels a little different.
Much of Wallace and Torode's commentary has been edited out, and the focus is, as it should be, largely on the contestants and their cooking. I hope this isn't the end of the Masterchef, and next year we could see it return with Grace Dent, who is now presenting the Celebrity version, leading the helm.
But for now, I'll have to find a new comfort show to watch.
