MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace's ghostwriter, Shannon Kyle, has made accusations against the star.
The TV host, 60, has been under fire in recent weeks over allegations regarding his behaviour. He has been accused of making inappropriate sexual remarks and jokes by more than a dozen people over a 17-year period. The TV presenter has also been accused of groping individuals - with more people making allegations.
He strongly denied the allegations in a statement issued via his legal representatives. Wallace, who stepped away from his role on the cooking competition, said via his lawyers: "It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature". On Monday, Wallace had expressed regret for his remarks suggesting the complaints about his conduct came from "a handful of middle-class women of a certain age".
After many people came out with claims about his behaviour, the ghostwriter for his autobiography appeared on Newsnight on Wednesday to speak to Victoria Derbyshire about the star. She claimed he once answered the door only wearing a towel, which he later dropped.
She also claimed he made "revolting" and "sickening" sexualised suggestions to her and even touched her inappropriately on her thigh and bum. Kyle was 35 at the time and was writing his Life On A Plate memoir. Lawyers representing Wallace told the BBC: "Our client has denied that he has engaged in any such behaviour, and he specifically denies any sexual misconduct with Ms Kyle.”
Kyle went on to claim the TV star shared explicit details about his sex life while she was working on the memoir between May and August 2012. She claimed he touched her thigh when she was in the passenger seat of his sports car and felt her bum after he showed up at the Good Food Show.
She chose to speak out about what allegedly happened to her to share his "predatory" behaviour. His lawyers strongly denied he engages in behaviours of a sexually harassing nature. The ghostwriter said her first interview with him was 'pretty straightforward' but by the second or third interview, he began 'discussing his love life'.
Kyle claimed he talked about the women he dated and the 'sexual acts they had done together'. "He talked about spanking a lot. He also talked about one of his girlfriends on all fours in front of a mirror," she claimed, saying he spoke in "incredibly sexual detail". Kyle said it was "shocking" as it had nothing to do with the book.
Speaking to Newsnight, Kyle said she once had a meeting arranged at his home and he allegedly opened the door "completely naked, except for a towel around his waist" after he got back from the gym and just had a shower. She said she would come back later but he allegedly said "don't mind me" before she asked Wallace to get dressed.
Kyle went on to claim she was waiting on the couch for him and he returned in the towel and 'dropped the towel', which she claimed wasn't an accident, after he said his trousers were folded behind the cushion she was "sat on". She wondered whether he "planted those". She asked him to get dressed and he then went to put on some clothes.
“I felt quite vulnerable because I'm on my own in a flat with a man. He's naked," she said. Kyle said she 'pushed on through' as she signed an NDA and was scared of losing her job.
According to Kyle, the NDA allegedly stated the “writer understands that Wallace enjoys a high public profile and her obligations to him of loyalty and confidentiality are therefore of particular significance".
The entire alleged incident was "really revolting" and she claimed the incident might have "been planned". Kyle went on to describe more alleged incidents, which she wrote down in an email to a friend. She said the moments made her "toes curl" and she wanted to "pass that shame back" to the person who said them.
The writer said that, during another meeting for the memoir, the MasterChef star said sexually inappropriate things to her, including: "If you won't let me sleep with you, would you lick my [a***hole]?"
During the meeting, which was held at a restaurant, he allegedly told her as she was eating dessert: "What would you think if I put some of the Eton Mess you're eating on my willy, then?” She said it was "sickening" and "obscene".
Another moment from a different meeting allegedly saw him initiating a "really big hug" where his face was 'right next to hers'. She said she 'completely froze' and he told her to give him a "little kiss". "Go on, just give me a little kiss, just a little one," she claimed he said.
She claimed she “paused” and “he either let go or I kind of pushed him off a little bit. And, and then I just really quickly wanted to get away," with her leaving in "tears". It wasn't only at interviews and meetings that he was inappropriate with her, she claimed. She alleged he touched her on her thigh and around the knee when he was changing gears in a sports car that was 'loaned' to him.
She said she 'had enough' and threatened to hit him while in the car and he 'didn't try again'. However, she claimed the harassment continued at a different time. During one of the final interviews for his memoir, she claimed he inappropriately touched her bum in a hotel car park. Kyle said her brother saw the incident. She said the allegations against him were "a long time coming" and said "sometimes you have to speak up for what's right."
Kyle claimed that Wallace’s alleged behaviour were dismissed as "cheeky barrow-boy cockney humour" but she said it is actually "revolting misogyny".
Wallace recently said he decided to "take some time out" following the controversy. The MasterChef host, who is battling several allegations including making "inappropriate sexual jokes", posted on Instagram this morning to say apologise for the comments he made about 'middle-aged women'. In the video, he said: "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, MasterChef production company Banijay UK said in a statement: "This week the BBC 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.
"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."
A BBC spokesperson also said: "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 BBC 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."
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