Rod Stewart calls out ‘bully’ Gregg Wallace as he defends wife Penny Lancaster

Rod Stewart has shared a blistering post about Masterchef star Gregg Wallace after allegations of historical misconduct led to the TV star stepping away from the show.

In 2021, Rod’s wife, Penny Lancaster, competed on Celebrity Masterchef, where she was eliminated in the quarter-finals. Penny was in tears at her elimination, where Gregg criticised the star in the “delay” of serving her food before refusing to eat it.

In his post, the Maggie Mae singer accused Gregg of “humiliating” Penny during her time on the show.

The star’s post read: “So Greg [sic] Wallace gets fired from Master Chef. 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.” Rod signed his post off with: “Sir Rod Stewart.”

Gregg, 60, has stepped away from Masterchef after allegations were made that he made inappropriate comments to colleagues over a 17-year time span. 13 people have reportedly come forward with allegations.

According to The Sun, Gregg was accused of discussing his sex life in front of a woman working on the show. Sources claimed the behaviour left the production staff “mortified”.

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One of those who has accused Gregg is former Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark, who competed on Celebrity Masterchef back in 2011. In an interview with the BBC, she said the judge used “sexualised language” in front of contestants.

“The fly in the ointment, on occasion, was Gregg Wallace,” she explained. “I think people were uncomfortable. We were essentially a captive audience. People looked embarrassed and just got on with their work.

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“I was actually more angry than anything else, because I thought it was so inappropriate. And in a sense what I thought was it was about power more than anything else, that he felt he could.”

The BBC reported that the TV star’s lawyers say “it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”.

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Last month, Gregg addressed rumours about his behaviour, saying that the story “was investigated promptly when it happened six years ago by the BBC and the outcome of that was that I hadn’t said anything sexual.”

He added: “Nobody six years ago accused me of flirting with anybody or hitting on anybody. I have always been true to my wife Anna. I’ve never flirted or hit on anybody in the twelve years I’ve been with my wife. It’s important that people understand that.”