John Torode has spoken out after it was announced that he will not be returning to MasterChef, claiming he wasn’t informed in advance.
This week, it emerged that Torode had been accused of using racist language in the review regarding his former co-host, Gregg Wallace.
The BBC and MasterChef production company Banijay UK have now confirmed that his contract with the cooking series will not be renewed.
In response to the news, Torode took to his own social media to reveal he was not informed about the sacking before the news was announced.
‘Although I haven’t heard from anyone at the BBC or Banijay – I am seeing and reading that I’ve been “sacked” from MasterChef and I repeat that I have no recollection of what I’m accused of,’ he wrote.
‘The enquiry could not even state the date or year of when I am meant to have said something wrong.’
The chef continued: ‘I’d hoped that I’d have some say in my exit from a show I’ve worked on since its relaunch in 2005, but events in last few days seem to have prevented that. Over the past few months, I have been considering my life and the shape of it now and in the future.
‘Celebrity MasterChef, which I recently filmed with Grace Dent along with two fantastic Christmas specials will be my last. Personally, I have loved every minute working on MasterChef, but it’s time to pass the cutlery to someone else. For whoever takes over, love it as I have.’
He added that he will continue to watch the show fondly ‘from afar’ and added that sometimes ‘personal happiness’ lies elsewhere.
According to The Sun, Torode had ‘no idea’ that he was going to be fired from MasterChef, with a source telling the publication that ‘he was blindsided’.
A Banijay spokesperson said: ‘In response to John Torode’s statement, it is important to stress that Banijay UK takes this matter incredibly seriously.
‘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.’
A BBC spokesperson added: ‘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.’
It was reported that last week, the BBC and Banijay asked Torode to resign and claim he had mental health problems.
The Sun said Torode refused the request and has issued a statement addressing the racist language allegation on his Instagram.
In an interview on BBC News on Tuesday night, the BBC director-general, Tim Davie, said that he wouldn’t repeat the comment Torode made, as ‘it was a serious racist term’.
‘I’m not going to give you the exact term, because I think, frankly it was a serious racist term, a serious racist term, which does not get to be acceptable in any way, shape or form,’ he said.
He also declined to comment on whether Torode was told that he should claim he had mental health problems and needed to resign. Davie said he was ‘not close to all of the details.’
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Yesterday, Torode made a statement on social media that he was the individual ‘who is alleged to have used racist language on one occasion’.
He continued: ‘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.’
The news comes after Davie said he believes MasterChef was ‘bigger than individuals’ when asked if the show had a future without Wallace.
‘I absolutely think it does, I think a great programme that’s loved by audiences is much bigger than individuals.
‘It absolutely can survive and prosper, but we’ve got to make sure we’re in the right place in terms of the culture of the show.’
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At the time, he was also asked if Wallace’s co-host Torode would stay in his role following the allegation levelled at him.
‘There has to be follow-up, so the BBC, in some ways, we’re quite simple on this, if someone is found to not live up to the values we expect, the independent company, Banijay, in this case, to take action and report back to us on what they have done,’ said Davie.
‘These aren’t BBC employees, but we absolutely expect action to be taken, that’s the first thing I’d say.’
Metro has reached out to John Torode’s representatives, the BBC and Banijay for comment.
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