London, July 16 (UNI) An Australian-British celebrity chef and TV presenter, John Torode has been sacked as MasterChef presenter following an allegation of using “an extremely offensive racist term” was upheld.
In an Instagram statement on Tuesday, the TV chef said he had “no recollection” of what he is accused of, and said he had hoped to have some say in his exit.
Meanwhile, the show’s production company Banijay said it and the BBC have agreed not to renew his contract for the show.
The controversy over MasterChef started last year, when BBC News first revealed claims of inappropriate sexual language against Torode’s co-host Gregg Wallace, reported BBC.
Wallace was sacked last week after dozens more people came forward with allegations against him. He has always denied the claims.
A BBC spokesperson said: “John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him.”
Speaking to BBC News, director general of the company Tim Davie described the allegation against Torode as “a serious racist term which does not get to be acceptable in any way shape or form”.
In his statement on Tuesday, Torode said: “Although I haven’t heard from anyone at the BBC or Banijay – I am seeing and reading that I’ve been “sacked” from MasterChef.
“I repeat that I have no recollection of what I’m accused of. The enquiry could not even state the date or year of when I am meant to have said something wrong.”
He also said Celebrity MasterChef, which he recently filmed with food critic Grace Dent, along with two Christmas specials, would be his last.
