who hosts the BBC game show Pointless, shared that he believes career could be over after he remarked that the only people accusing him of crude sexual jokes are “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”.
Gregg, 60, also denied behaviour of a sexually harassing nature after 13 people came forward last week with allegations of his offensive comments.
Addresssing the victim blaming remarks that the Masterchef host made about his behaviour over the weekend, Richard said on his podcast The Rest Is Entertainment: “This, going on and blaming the people who are complaining, that is sort of beyond the pale, that makes it sort of very very difficult to come back from.”
Downing Street also called Gregg’s defence of his actions on MasterChef “inappropriate and misogynistic” in a statement issued to the press.
No 10 has also confirmed Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy held talks with bosses in the wake of the row about his behaviour.
Gregg is the subject of an investigation amid claims of his inappropriate behaviour. (Image: Getty)
Asked whether MasterChef should be taken off air, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “It’s right that a thorough investigation is conducted. Obviously, that’s for the and the production company.”
Just over an hour after the comments from Downing Street, Wallace issued an apology for his remarks, saying he “wasn’t in a good head space” when he posted the video on .
In the video shared on Sunday, the MasterChef presenter said there had been “13 complaints” from “over 4,000 contestants” he had worked with in 20 years on the One show.
His response was criticised by his accusers, one of whom said the comments showed he “clearly hasn’t learnt his lesson”.
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Gregg’s longtime colleague John Torode has also unfollowed him on Instagram (Image: GETTY)
Ulrika Jonsson, who claimed she was told that Wallace made a “rape joke” during her time on Celebrity MasterChef, told the Daily Telegraph that she felt Wallace’s response showed “the arrogance of a man who has zero introspection or self-awareness”.
“When he made reference to women of a certain age I was just seething… I was just absolutely wild,” she said.
Gregg stepped aside last week after a News investigation revealed allegations of inappropriate sexual comments and inappropriate behaviour against him.
The investigation heard from 13 people spanning a range of ages, who worked across five different shows.
Earlier, Rupa Huq MP said the should consider pausing MasterChef while Gregg is investigated.
Huq is a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee and said the continued broadcast of MasterChef could be “triggering” for the women involved.
Speaking to Radio 4’s Today, she said: “I think possibly there is an argument for pausing while this investigation takes its course, and maybe not airing it tonight.”