Gregg Wallace has said he will not comment further on having suicidal thoughts after being investigated over misconduct allegations late last year.
The TV presenter, 60, stepped back from Masterchef following a number of complaints and accusations made against him, which he has denied.
In an interview with the Daily Mail publishedon April 25, Wallace said he believed it might be ‘better’ for his wife if he ‘wasn’t here’.
Since the interview was published, he has shared more thoughts on social media.
In an Instagram post, he wrote: ‘I’ve said everything I needed to say in the interview with the Mail and meant every word. It was hard to do, but speaking honestly for myself, my family, and especially my mum, felt right.
‘Right now, I don’t want to add anything more. I’ve opened my heart, and that has to be enough.
‘There will be a lot of noise, I get that, but I won’t be joining in. I need space to heal and to be with the people who know who I really am.
‘I just wanted to let you know that there are no further comments at this time.’
Last month, he was seen with his wife Anne-Marie Sterpini for the first time since the scandal, seemingly putting on a united front.
On MasterChef, Wallace was replaced by Chef Anna Haugh after criticism for his statement, which claimed the complaints came from ‘middle-class women of a certain age’.
The allegations led to an external investigation by MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK, which is ongoing.
‘Nobody should be left on their own to face something like this,’ Wallace told the Daily Mail of the backlash. ‘It’s very difficult to explain the pressure unless you’ve been through it. I thought about suicide all the time.’
He shared that he thought the impact his death would have on his wife, whether she would get his money, and if his insurance was up to date.
The TV presenter addressed controversial social media posts, which even attracted attention from Sir Keir Starmer, who slammed his words as ‘misogynistic’.
He claimed the BBC had not contacted him after the allegations became public, but the online discourse left Wallace wanting to defend himself.
‘I hadn’t slept for four days,’ the former greengrocer continued. ‘The feeling of being under attack, of isolation, of abandonment was overwhelming. News channels were updating hourly with new allegations.’
Reporters appeared outside his home, and the backlash online steadily grew, with celebrities like Sir Rod Stewart weighing in.
This led to Wallace feeling unable to sleep, suffering from stress and feeling ‘dirty and horrible’ as ‘everyone is saying you’re a pervert’.
He lamented that women who he thought he had a ‘decent relationship with’ were ‘attacking’ him.
The accusations include making ‘inappropriate sexual jokes’ and lewd comments on set, with the chef admitting to The Mail that these allegations were ‘probably true’.
He confessed to opening his dressing room door with just a ‘sock over my private bits’ and shouting hooray but said it was just three friends in the studio after filming had finished.
Other allegations include asking for the phone numbers of female members of production staff, and undressing in front of and standing ‘too close’ to women working on his shows.
Wallace’s lawyers previously told the BBC: ‘It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature’.
While he continues to deny the most severe allegations, such as groping crew members, the accusations have been eye-opening.
The London-born presenter added: ‘I don’t want to make myself sound innocent because, I’ve come to realise, I must have offended a lot of people over the years when you look at the number of complaints.’
However, he then said that the stressful nature of MasterChef leaves people disappointed with ‘shattered dreams’.
Wallace said: ‘I think there has been a lot of misunderstanding of my intention, and so many of the complaints are from so long ago. There’s a difference between what they think I said and what was actually said.’
MasterChef: The Professionals continued to air last year after the allegations, but the two Christmas specials were pulled.
BBC bosses previously said the corporation will not ‘tolerate behaviour that falls below the standards we expect’ and will continue to champion ‘a culture that is kind, inclusive and respectful.’
A memo sent to staff by the BBC director-general, Tim Davie, and Charlotte Moore, chief content officer, said the corporation would be supporting MasterChef producer Banijay UK in its investigation.
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Earlier this month, Banijay UK said in a statement: ‘It is important to note that MasterChef welfare processes are regularly adapted and strengthened and there are clear protocols to support both crew and contributors.
‘These include multiple ways of reporting issues, including anonymously. HR contact details are promoted and contributors are assigned a point of contact on set available to discuss any issues or concerns.’
Banijay UK declined to comment on Wallace’s interview when contacted by the PA news agency.
A previous version of this story was published on April 25.
Need support?
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
If you're a young person, or concerned about a young person, you can also contact PAPYRUS, the Prevention of Young Suicide UK.
Their HOPELINE247 is open every day of the year, 24 hours a day. You can call 0800 068 4141, text 88247 or email: pat@papyrus-uk.org.
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