Rod Stewart’s wife Penny Lancaster didn’t know that he was going to make accusations about Gregg Wallace’s behaviour until she saw his Instagram post, she’s revealed.
Last month, Stewart alleged that broadcaster Wallace “humiliated” Lancaster on Celebrity MasterChef, which he judges. The singer’s post came after a series of allegations led to Wallace stepping away from the MasterChef while production company Banijay UK investigates misconduct claims.
Lawyers representing Wallace, 60, have strongly denied that “he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.”
Lancaster, a model and Loose Women panellist, said on the ITV show yesterday (December 12): “I didn’t realise my husband had sent that post out until it was out. And of course, you can imagine the influx of inquiries there were.
“I most definitely was witness and victim to some of the bullying and harassment behaviour of Gregg Wallace, and unfortunately a lot of those involved in the production team were also witness to that, and I really feel that he used his position of power to, I believe, intimidate and cause distress to a lot of people on set. And it’s really unfortunate that someone like him is allowed to get away with that, and while others sort of stand by and let it happen at the same time.”
Her husband’s Instagram post read: “Good riddance Wallace … You humiliated my wife when she was on the show, but you had that bit cut out didn’t you? You’re a tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully. Karma got ya.”
Lancaster said about it: “I felt a little bit vindicated that something was put out there, going back to sort of that whole MeToo [movement], it’s shocking to think how many women do suffer in the hands of … [men] in a powerful position and are too afraid to talk out.
“They don’t feel at the time that they’re going to be supported or listened to. So sometimes it can take a few years later for someone to mention something. It gives the other victims and people that have suffered the confidence to come forward.”
Lancaster and Stewart in 2023. CREDIT: Greg Doherty/Getty Images for Haute Living
The allegations that resulted in Wallace stepping down from MasterChef including him reportedly making inappropriate comments to 13 people who’d worked with him over a period of 17 years.
More women came forward following the initial reports, one alleging that Wallace regularly discussed sex, domination and spanking inappropriately while working on Channel 5’s Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekends in 2019, while it was also reported that the BBC was made aware of allegations against Wallace in a letter from 2022, but no further investigation took place at the time.
Earlier this month, Wallace referred to the accusers as being “middle-class women of a certain age,” a comment that was widely criticised – with Downing Street calling them “inappropriate and misogynistic” and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy holding talks with BBC bosses over the controversy.
In a follow-up video on his Instagram Stories, Wallace went on to apologise for the comments.
Meanwhile, rapper Snoop Dogg told The Mirror that he’d be interested in replacing him, saying: “You better believe Snoop could be the new MasterChef judge. My boy Gordon [Ramsay] judges on the US version of the show, and I know he would back me to be able to judge on the UK version.”
For more help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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