John Torode has been sacked from MasterChef after a complaint that he used racist language on one occasion in 2018 or 2019, first made in 2024, was upheld. The Telegraph has more.
In a statement, Banijay UK, which makes the BBC show, said: “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.
“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.”
The incident was said to have occurred in either 2018 or 2019, and formed part of the legal review into behaviour on MasterChef, which was caused by allegations about Gregg Wallace.
Torode said on Monday: “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 am shocked and saddened by the allegation, as I would never wish to cause anyone any offence.”
Torode and Grace Dent, who was hired as Wallace’s replacement, recently filmed a series of Celebrity MasterChef which was due to go out this autumn.
That means the BBC now has two MasterChef series which may never see the light of day – the celebrity version and last year’s amateur competition hosted by Torode and Wallace.
A BBC spokesman said on Tuesday: “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. 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.”
The Telegraph understands that Torode was the subject of multiple allegations, although only one was substantiated.
Worth reading in full.
The Mail quotes a “source close to Torode” saying the star was sharing drinks after filming when he is alleged to have used the inappropriate racial term.
It is claimed the witness said Torode apologised instantly and “was mortified” and he “didn’t use the term as a slur”.
No one complained at the time, but the incident had been brought up during Wallace’s inquiry, the source said.
You may wonder why a solitary instance of alleged ‘racial language’, seven (or was it six, no one’s quite sure) years ago, which the complainant didn’t mention at the time and says Torode apologised for, and which Torode himself says he doesn’t even recall, results in someone being sacked. Whereas the BBC’s systemic antisemitism never seems to lead to any visible disciplinary action at all. You may wonder that, but that’s because you don’t understand the BBC and the very progressive code it operates by.
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Its just a witch hunt, to show they are doing “something”, the whole BBC should be shut down, unfit for purpose. Bunch of “woke snowflakes”
I don’t know anything about the guy, but surely everyone is innocent until proven guilty?
Can you just sack somebody on the basis of some allegations six or seven years ago?
Like Jeremy Clarkson he hasn’t actually been “sacked”
They’re just not renewing his contract…
Far cleaner and easier….
And what does “substantiated” even mean? Certainly not proven in a court of law as far as I know.
All of these cases show that the Globalists are funding an Army of Robots trawling through every possible comment that anyone ever made anywhere at any time, in order to find some excuse to prosecute, sack, or imprison them as an example to others.
It’s straight out of the Communist Handbook.
As the great educator and American Patriot Charlotte Iserbyt exposed, their motto is:
“Target the Resisters”.
Obviously the disgusting crap from the Glastonbury performances and which have led to calls for the sacking of that arch tosser Tim Davie are getting to him so it is time to turn up the heat elsewhere. Unfortunately, John Torode got the short straw but he was an easy target following the witch hunt against Gregg ‘Pasty’ Wallace.
That somebody should lose their job and have their reputation destroyed purely on the basis of hearsay absolutely stinks. The cesspit that is the BBC is now a criminal enterprise and should be dismantled top to bottom.
We really are a totalitarian state.
I feel my posts are following a theme today, but they’re going after the white men, aren’t they? But it also happens to be a white man in charge. How much more proof do we need? Wallace wasn’t replaced by a white man and you can bet your bottom dollar Torode won’t be either, but it’s the fellow white man gaffer that surely has the final say on all this, so just more traitorous backstabbing by your own kind, then.
It’s also a white bloke in charge at Banijay UK, as I’m not sure if it’s him ( Patrick Holland ) or Davie who’s responsible for seeing fit to sack Torode *with no evidence of wrongdoing*.
https://banijayuk.com/people/
Those in public life, the BBC and the rest of the wokerati must be so perfect,
How much you betting he’s been accused of the cardinal sin which is dropping the ‘N’ word? But it’s taken 7 years for somebody to feel offended by this, bizarrely. I call BS. I think they just want rid of him and they’ll already have a nice diverse replacement lined up.
Personally, I used to like those two as presenters when I watched the programme years ago.
I agree, it’s a convenient excuse to dump the old guard and bring in some new, young and hip LGBTQ++ replacements.
So, one word to a friend or colleague over drinks, which the accused does not remember and has not been shown to be general practice, results in dismissal.
I have never heard of anyone non-white who has been so treated.
Forced to apologise for something he doesn’t believe he said, and no-one can recall when he allegedly said it, but he’s still sacked anyway!
What’s the point of the contrition?
Meanwhile Tim Davie clings to his job, despite what are 2 terrible decisions!
So a black friend jokingly calls me a “honky,” and to his shock I can’t see the joke and get offended, at which point he apologises and points out no offence was intended.
Seven years later I say that no apology or lack of offensive intent cancels out that it’s a very offensive term, thus proving my fragile and malevolent nature. Some legal firm is authorised to make a judgement on the matter, for some reason. My black friend loses his job.
Meanwhile, “talent” grooming young boys or molesting young girls regularly are untouchable. Words speak louder than actions at the Beeb, it seems.
Well, that’s at least two people who won’t be watching any more Masterchef. But do they care?
If he’s absolutely certain he didn’t say it then he should sue the company and the BBC for slander (or is it Libel?).
Presumably they just want to get rid of two heterosexual white blokes and have their multi coloured multi sexuality alphabet friends onto the show. The BBC are the dregs.