TV presenter Melanie Sykes starred on Celebrity MasterChef in 2021 (Image: BBC/PA Wire)
Former star Melanie Sykes has hinted she issued an informal complaint about following her stint on the culinary competition.
The 54-year-old TV presenter, who appeared on the culinary show back in 2021, reportedly felt compelled to after her experience on the reality programme.
She’s believed to have detailed her time as a contestant in her memoir ‘Illuminated’, released last year, and has recently elaborated on the matter in a .
Interest in past participants’ experiences has spiked after TV judge Gregg, 60, whilst its company Baniyay UK investigates into alleged historical misconduct complaints.
As per News, his legal representatives have categorically denied any sexually harassing behaviour on his part, and .
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Gregg Wallace stepped away from the BBC show last week (Image: BBC)
According to , Melanie claimed the dad-of-three greeted her on set by asking whether models eat, which she considered “unprofessional” and driven by “ignorance and disrespect with an extra helping of arrogance.
The outlet also reports that she claims the TV presenter spent time “barking orders” as the contestants throughout the show. She penned in her memoir: “The MasterChef experience continued to be an eye-opener, and some unprofessional behaviour on set was jaw-dropping.”
The Telegraph further claims that she wrote that Gregg told her appearing on the cooking show would benefit her, adding: “I didn’t know what to say, so I smiles and said yes, but I was really thinking, ‘Yes, you have finally helped me decide to end my television career once and for all.”
Melanie expresses her discontent following her stint on Celebrity MasterChef in a new video, stating: “I complained afterwards. I said I didn’t want to make a formal complaint because, honestly, I’d spend my whole time in litigation if I did that, and I think that’s one of the reasons why people don’t go for it.”
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She shared her complaints about the TV judge on YouTube (Image: Youtube)
Additionally, Melanie, who is vocal about wanting industry change, added: “Every time Gregg came over to the desk, I didn’t really like him being around really … because it’s all about vibrations and energy”.
Her statement comes in light of the news that, after allegations by 13 individuals regarding inappropriate sexual comments surfaced last Thursday (November 28).
Gregg will take some time away from MasterChef as the allegations–spanning a 17-year period across various shows–undergo investigation.
Over the weekend, Gregg Wallace opened up in a video to his fans, explaining: “I have been doing MasterChef for 20 years – amateur, celebrity and professional MasterChef – and I think in that time I have worked with over 4,000 contestants of all different ages, all different backgrounds [and] all walks of life.
“And apparently now I am reading in the paper there’s been 13 complaints in that time. Now in the newspaper I can see the complaints coming from a handful of middle-class women of a certain age just from Celebrity Masterchef. This isn’t right.”
The dad-of-three has addressed the allegations online (Image: Instagram)
He went on to say, “In over 20 years of television, can you imagine how many women, female contestants, on MasterChef have made sexual remarks or sexual innuendo. Can you imagine?”
Since then, he has issued an apology for “any offence” that might have been caused by his remarks. In a follow-up post, he expressed, “I want to apologise for any offence that I caused with my post yesterday and any upset I may have caused to a lot of people.
“I wasn’t in a good headspace when I posted it, I’ve been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion, I felt very alone, under siege yesterday when I posted it.
“It’s obvious to me I need to take some time out, now, while this investigation is under way I hope you understand and I do hope you will accept this apology.”
Last week, Banijay UK, the firm behind the hit series MasterChef, issued a stark announcement stating: “This week the received complaints from individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with presenter Gregg Wallace on one of our shows.
“Whilst these complainants have not raised the allegations directly with our show producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel that it is appropriate to conduct an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate.”
They continued: “While this review is under way, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully co-operating throughout the process.
“Banijay UK’s duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions, with multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously, clearly promoted on set.”
Meanwhile, a representative from the declared: “We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them. We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the will not be tolerated.
“Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them.”