The new season of MasterChef is coming August 6 but pressure is growing on the BBC to shelve the last ever series to feature fired presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode.
Philippa Childs, who runs broadcasting union Bectu, told the BBC today it should “reconsider its decision to broadcast the latest series of MasterChef.”
This came after several days’ worth of headlines after a contestant from the latest season said she was being edited out having protested at the BBC’s decision.
Childs said today: “Whilst the BBC claims that it has consulted with contestants there appears to have been no consultation with complainants; freelancers who have taken the very difficult step of speaking out and who will legitimately feel distressed as the show appears on their screens several times a week over the next two months.”
Deadline understands Bectu will raise the MasterChef saga as part of its regular discussions with the broadcaster. The union represents the interests of thousands of freelancers working in the British TV industry, some of whom Childs said would “undoubtedly be triggered” by the decision to air the series next week. MasterChef is one of the BBC’s most popular long-running shows and a decision still needs to be made over what to do with Celebrity and Christmas versions featuring Torode.
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Following the sacking of Wallace and Torode last month after a Banijay-commissioned review substantiated allegations against them, the question of what to do with the already-filmed season of MasterChef became a live one. The BBC always appeared to be signaling that it wanted to show the series, with Director General Tim Davie saying his “overwhelming concern” is for the amateur chefs who “gave their heart and soul to this programme.” The BBC subsequently said: “We believe that broadcasting this series is the right thing to do for these cooks who have given so much to the process.”
“Absolutely flabbergasted”
The BBC, which will air the show on linear and iPlayer, is understood to have made some edits to try and reduce Wallace and Torode’s airtime but the pair are ultimately the presenters and appear in numerous scenes.
Speaking on Newsnight last night, the former contestant who took umbrage with the decision said she had suggested to the BBC that it “create a new special show dedicated to the top 10 contestants [from this season’s MasterChef], signaling the distance from this unacceptable behavior and making a stand.”
“Instead they said we have a potential solution and the solution was editing me out,” added Sarah Shafi. “I actually said, ‘I’m absolutely flabbergasted, how do you think that is a solution?’.”
Shafi said she was shocked to be a “woman being edited out,” given that the vast majority of allegations made against Wallace were from women. Wallace has apologized for using “inappropriate language” between 2005 and 2018, but denied more serious allegations. Torode has said he cannot recall the incident of his using racial language that was substantiated but has also apologized. The vast majority of allegations were made against Wallace.
On Childs and Shafi’s remarks, the BBC pointed Deadline to its statement from last week about its decision to show the latest season.