A second contestant has been edited out of the latest series of MasterChef following the scandal that led to the sacking of hosts Gregg Wallace and John Torode.
The production company behind the show, Banijay UK, confirmed the unnamed cook asked to be removed after 45 complaints about Wallace’s behaviour and one against Torode were upheld.
A Banijay spokesperson told The Standard: “One other contributor decided that given recent events they would like not to be included.
“We have of course accepted their wishes and edited them out of the show.”
BBC News reported that the contestant has requested anonymity and will not appear in any capacity.
They are the second participant to be edited out of the pre-recorded series, which was largely filmed before the allegations against Wallace came to light in November 2024.
The Standard has contacted BBC for comment.
Earlier this month, aspiring chef Sarah Shafi also withdrew from the show, saying she feared it would “send the wrong message to women” if it went ahead.
Shafi initially declined Banijay’s offer to remove her from her episode, but later changed her mind after the BBC confirmed it would still broadcast the series following weeks of speculation over its future.
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 was 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.
Last month, 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.
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.
Last week, it was revealed that MasterChef’s latest series had suffered a major ratings drop, with almost a million fewer viewers tuning in for its launch amid the controversy.
In a last-minute move, the show was reportedly re-edited to reduce Wallace and Torode’s screen time.
Despite the changes, just 1.96 million viewers tuned in for the premiere, a sharp fall from the 2.73 million who watched last year’s opening episode, according to BBC figures.
