Gregg Wallace has reportedly filed a lawsuit against the BBC with the High Court over a data protection claim, just months after he was sacked by the broadcaster

Fired MasterChef host Gregg Wallace is launching legal action against the BBC. The presenter reportedly filed a lawsuit with the High Court today which made a data protection claim against the BBC.

It comes just months after he was fired from MasterChef after a report into allegations of misconduct upheld 40 claims against him. The 60-year-old greengrocer presented the show for 21 years alongside John Torode before the hosting duo were sacked over inappropriate behaviour.

A report into Wallace’s behaviour on MasterChef commissioned by production company Banijay UK found earlier this year that 45 out of 83 allegations against him were substantiated. The upheld complaints related to sexual language and humour with a smaller number relating to him “being in a statement of undress” and one involved “unwanted physical contact”.

Gregg Wallace was fired from MasterChef earlier this year (
Image:
BBC/Shine TV)

At the time, Wallace accepted that his humour was “inappropriate” on the show but believed himself to be a victim of “baseless and sensationalised” claims. He said in a social media post: “I will not go quietly. I will not be cancelled for convenience.”

Now, Wallace is reportedly seeking the release of hundreds of pages of secret documents to help clear his name. The BBC said in a statement to BBC News: “We have not been formally notified of any legal proceedings so at this stage we are unable to comment.”

Wallace’s co-star Torode was also fired after the report found that he had used a severely offensive racist term. Torode said that he has “no recollection” of the incident.

Earlier today, BBC director general Tim Davie defended the decision to air the current series of MasterChef, which features Wallace and Torode, to the UK Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee. He said that the “vast majority” of chefs on the series wanted it to air despite the duo presenting it.

“I think it was on judgment the right thing to do, but I understand that you could see both sides of the argument very clearly,” he said. “I think the consequences for the individuals who presented MasterChef have been very significant, they’re no longer working with the BBC, so there are those consequences.

“The other thing in my mind is people can choose to watch it or not, so there’s an element of trust in the audience.”