Gregg Wallace filed a legal claim against the BBC and BBC Studios Distribution Limited, alleging they failed to provide copies of his personal data, which he said caused him distress and harassment. He sought up to £10,000 in damages in this lawsuit. The case centered on his attempts to access data related to his work and conduct at the broadcaster.
The BBC denied that Gregg Wallace suffered any distress or harassment and argued he was not entitled to any damages. According to Jason Pobjoy KC for the BBC and BBC Studios, the BBC admitted it did not provide a substantive response within three months due to lack of proportionality and scale. The BBC responded to Gregg Wallace on October 7 with a copy of his personal data and apologized in August, as stated by Jason Pobjoy KC.
I recognise that some of my humour and language, at times, was inappropriate.
Details of Wallace's data access requests show he requested personal data from the BBC and BBC Studios in March last year related to his work, contractual relations, and conduct, according to his barrister Lawrence Power. Lawrence Power argued that the BBC wrongly redacted information and unlawfully failed to supply all of Gregg Wallace's personal data. According to Lawrence Power, Gregg Wallace made subject access requests (SARs) to the companies on 6 March last year, but was told that parts of his personal data were being withheld due to freedom of expression.
Legal arguments in the claim included that by failing to fully comply with the SARs, the defendants acted in breach of their statutory duty and caused distress and harassment to Wallace, as per Lawrence Power. This formed a core part of Wallace's allegations against the BBC and BBC Studios. The specifics of what personal data was redacted or withheld remain unclear, adding complexity to the dispute.
I apologise without reservation for the language I was primarily guilty of using.
A preliminary hearing in the claim was cancelled shortly before it was due on February 16, according to multiple reports. According to a BBC spokesperson, Wallace discontinued his claim shortly before the hearing and is not receiving any payment in costs or damages from the BBC or BBC Studios. The reasons for Wallace's withdrawal and whether any undisclosed settlements or agreements were reached are not publicly known.
This legal action followed Wallace's dismissal from MasterChef in July 2025 after an investigation into historic allegations of misconduct upheld complaints. A review upheld 45 of 83 allegations against Gregg Wallace, mostly occurring between 2005 and 2018. The misconduct findings significantly impacted his career and public standing.
The findings exonerated me of all the serious allegations which made headlines last year.
Specific findings from the misconduct report, based on research, include that it upheld 45 out of 83 allegations of misconduct, including one of unwelcome physical contact. The report also upheld a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress. The exact nature of these allegations beyond these categories has not been detailed publicly.
Background on the investigation process reveals that the report was conducted by production company Banijay with law firm Lewis Silkin, according to research. The BBC apologised to everyone who has been impacted by Mr Wallace’s behaviour, admitting that more could and should have been done sooner, as per research citing the BBC. This apology acknowledged shortcomings in addressing the issues earlier.
We accept more could and should have been done sooner.
Gregg Wallace began co-presenting MasterChef in 2005, according to multiple reports, marking a long tenure on the popular cooking show. His role spanned nearly two decades until his dismissal in 2025. This timeline contextualizes the period during which many of the upheld allegations occurred.
Post-dismissal, Gregg Wallace plans to sell his home and buy a modest property, according to his statements. He also desires to temporarily relocate to Italy with his family part-time, as he has indicated. These personal plans reflect a shift in his lifestyle following the career upheaval.
Family motivations play a key role in Wallace's decisions; he wants financial security for his family, including his wife and special needs son Sid, according to his accounts. Gregg Wallace has plans to potentially homeschool his young son, as he has mentioned. The current status of these plans regarding selling his home, relocating to Italy, and homeschooling is not fully known.