Gregg Wallace and John Torode still feature heavily throughout the first three episodes of the new series of MasterChef, which aired on Wednesday morning.
Wallace was fired from the BBC competition after dozens of allegations of inappropriate behaviour were upheld, while Torode was axed after an investigation said he used a racial slur in the workplace.
The BBC claimed series 21, which was filmed last year, would focus more on the contestants than the hosts and announced that it would be going ahead as planned.
However, there has been mounting pressure to scrap the series altogether amid concerns that broadcasting the show multiple times a week for two months “rewards bad behaviour” and is “distressing” for those who have spoken out against the hosts.
Despite the backlash, Wallace and Torode appeared heavily in the first few episodes of the amateur series, which have dropped on iPlayer. The first episode will air on BBC One at 8pm on Wednesday.
The BBC appeared to have slightly cut down Wallace’s interactions with the contestants, during which the participants explained their dishes and gave some information about their background.
However, both presenters still made regular appearances while discussing the dishes to the camera and judging them at the end of each challenge.
Last week, the head of broadcast union Bectu, Philippa Childs urged the BBC “to reconsider its decision to broadcast the latest series of MasterChef”.
“Whilst the BBC claims that it has consulted with contestants there appears to have been no consultation with complainants; freelancers who have taken the very difficult step of speaking out and who will legitimately feel distressed as the show appears on their screens several times a week over the next two months,” she said.
"If [the BBC] are serious about addressing this industry wide problem, broadcasters should not reward bad behaviour with prime-time coverage," she added.
One contestant, Sarah Shafi, has been entirely edited out of the new series after she called for the series not to be aired.
Say hello to the first batch of cooks to enter the #MasterChefUK kitchen for 2025! 👋 Here's when you can see them on BBC One and #iPlayer this week pic.twitter.com/k6nkvWwaUF
— MasterChef UK 🍴 (@MasterChefUK) August 5, 2025
She said axing the show would send a “strong message” that the BBC does not support people in prominent positions facilitating enabling environments and felt “flabbergasted” at the solution of being edited out completely.
“This is a woman being edited out. Again, the women gets silenced into extinction. It’s happening time and time again,” she said.
Torode, 60, was fired from MasterChef last month following allegations that he said the N-word twice during an after-work drinks in 2018.
The Australian-born chef was accused of using the racial slur while singing along to Kanye West’s song, Gold Digger, at a work gathering.
Torode said he had “no recollection of the incident” and was “shocked and saddened” by the allegation.
Wallace was sacked after 45 out of 83 allegations of inappropriate behaviour were upheld following a seven-month investigation.
The “majority” of the upheld accusations related to “inappropriate sexual language and humour”.
A “smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated”, with “one incident of unwelcome physical contact” also substantiated.
Wallace apologised for any “hurt or distress caused” and later said he is not a “groper,” “flasher,” or “sex pest”.
Last year, a BBC News investigation revealed a string of allegations of inappropriate sexual comments and alleged inappropriate behaviour against Wallace by 13 people who worked with him across a range of shows over a 17-year period, including former Newsnight host Kirsty Wark.
In December, Wallace claimed in an Instagram video that complaints about his behaviour came from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”.
After backlash to his comments, he apologised for any “offence” or “upset” caused and said he would “take some time out”.
