TORODE TRIP
AS FULL details of behind-the-scenes behaviour on
Masterchef
finally came to light in the lawyers’ report requested by production company Banijay, sacked presenter Gregg Wallace appeared to be taking no PR advice from anyone, unless it was Prince Andrew. But as his co-host John Torode joined him on the unemployment line, there was evidence of some very careful briefing going on on both sides.
First came a front-page exclusive in the Sun last Tuesday which reported that “the BBC told Torode to pretend he had mental health issues after accusing him of racism” and resign quietly, but he had refused. It carried extensive quotes from the presenter claiming “the person I was speaking with did not believe it was intended in a malicious way and I apologised immediately afterwards”, but also that “I have absolutely no recollection of any of this, and I do not believe that it happened”. This was not enough to save Torode, however, and the BBC announced that afternoon that he too was being sacked – which another Sun front page the next morning claimed he had found out “by reading about it on the BBC News website”.