MasterChef's Tebbutt and Wareing speak on BBC exits of Wallace, Torode and Tebbutt
Matt Tebbutt said he was "livid" at how the BBC told him he was leaving MasterChef: The Professionals after one series. Marcus Wareing said the sackings of Gregg Wallace and John Torode were "tough" but "nothing to do with me".
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The story, neutrally told
Right · 1Matt Tebbutt, 52, said on the Go To Food podcast that the BBC's handling of his exit from MasterChef: The Professionals after one series was "badly handled", because he was told at 5pm the day before he was due to appear on The One Show to promote the series. Daily MailR “I was told at 5pm and I was going the next day to go and do The One Show and all the press around it.”“Don't tell me that. That's badly handled.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1Tebbutt said he told bosses he would not still make the guest appearance, because he has no poker face, and that he was "livid"; he also accepted that "TV changes, ideas change". Daily MailR “I don't have a poker face. You will know I'm going to be cross so I said no I'm not doing that.”“They went in a different direction. Now I get it TV changes, ideas change.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1Speaking earlier to BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme, Tebbutt said they were "really upset" and that it "could have been handled a lot better", but added that it was "part of the game". Daily MailR “I'm not going to say I wasn't upset. I was really upset. And it could have been handled a lot better.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Right · 1Tebbutt had replaced Gregg Wallace as host of the 18th series alongside judges Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti, and said they went in knowing it was "a tough gig" given Wallace's departure. Daily MailR “Saturday Kitchen chef Matt replaced Gregg Wallace as host of the 18th edition of the professional series, alongside Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti”“went into it knowing it was 'a tough gig'” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Wallace was dismissed by the BBC in July 2025 after an independent investigation; the Daily Mail says it covered 83 historical allegations of workplace misconduct, of which 45 were upheld, and The Independent says the 45 substantiated allegations included inappropriate sexual language and one incident of unwelcome physical contact. Daily MailR “dismissed by the BBC last July after an investigation into 83 historical allegations of workplace misconduct, with 45 accusations against him subsequently upheld” Read at Daily Mail ↗ The IndependentLC “He was then sacked in July 2025 after an independent report substantiated 45 allegations against him, including claims of inappropriate sexual language and one incident of unwelcome physical contact.” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 1Wallace apologised for "any distress caused" while saying the report cleared him of "the most serious and sensational allegations". The IndependentLC “Wallace apologised at the time for “any distress caused” while saying the report cleared him of “the most serious and sensational allegations”.” Read at The Independent ↗
Left · 1John Torode was also sacked in July 2025 after an allegation that they used "an extremely offensive racist term" was upheld; Torode said they had "no recollection of the incident" and were "shocked and saddened". The IndependentLC “Torode was also sacked in July 2025 after an allegation against him using “an extremely offensive racist term” was upheld.”“Torode said he had “no recollection of the incident” and was “shocked and saddened” by the allegation.” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 1Wareing, a judge on The Professionals since 2014, told the Sunday Times it was "tough" for Wallace and Torode but "nothing to do with me"; he said he sees Wallace on social media, that Wallace is "moving on now" and "looks really well", and he implied the two do not often speak. The IndependentLC “told the Sunday Times that it was “tough” for Wallace and Torode but the situation was “nothing to do with me”.”“I see Gregg on social media from time to time and he’s moving on now.” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 1The Independent also reports that Wallace sued the BBC in October 2025 over alleged failure to disclose personal data, dropped the suit in February 2026, and in January posted a 1,000-word Substack apology in which they said they had matched a set culture "engineered from the top down" and that "many of the jokes were sexual". The IndependentLC “Wallace sued the BBC in October 2025 for allegedly causing him “distress and harassment” by failing to disclose his personal data, but dropped the suit in February this year.”“Wallace confessed that “many of the jokes were sexual” as he “relied on innuendo quite heavily”.” Read at The Independent ↗
Right · 1The Daily Mail said it had contacted the BBC for comment on Tebbutt's remarks. Daily MailR “The BBC has been contacted by the Daily Mail for comment.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- The Independent leads on Wareing's measured, sympathetic remarks about Wallace and gives a detailed background of the misconduct findings, Wallace's apologies and legal action.
- Emphasis
- The upheld allegations against Wallace and Torode, their responses, and Wallace's lawsuit and Substack apology.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Tebbutt's exit or how the BBC handled it.
- Charged language
- “scandal”
- For example
-
“Marcus Wareing says Gregg Wallace is ‘moving on now’ after MasterChef scandal” — The Independent
“Wallace apologised at the time for “any distress caused”” — The Independent
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The Daily Mail leads on Tebbutt's anger at the BBC's handling of his sacking, in a personal, grievance-led account with his strong language quoted.
- Emphasis
- The 'brutal' timing, just before The One Show, and Tebbutt's profanity and feelings; Wallace's case appears as background.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Omits Torode's sacking and Wallace's later apology, lawsuit and Substack post; Wareing's comments are only mentioned in passing.
- Charged language
- “brutal”“livid”“Axed”
- For example
-
“Axed MasterChef The Professionals host Matt Tebbutt recalls the 'brutal' moment he was sacked by the BBC” — Daily Mail
“Matt said he felt 'f*****g livid' by the news” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- Gregg Wallace was dismissed by the BBC in July 2025 after an investigation found 45 allegations against him upheld.
- Marcus Wareing is a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals.
- Matt Tebbutt replaced Wallace as host of The Professionals and left after one series.
Where accounts differ
-
Wallace's age
- Left
- The Independent gives Wallace's age as 62.
- Right
- The Daily Mail gives Wallace's age as 61.
Matt Tebbutt person
Says the BBC handled his exit badly by telling him the day before The One Show, while accepting that TV changes and that the job was a tough one.
“Don't tell me that. That's badly handled.” — Daily Mail
Marcus Wareing person
Says the situation was tough for Wallace and Torode but nothing to do with him, and that Wallace is moving on and looks well.
“he’s moving on now. I think constant communication with the people of the past is that constant reminder.” — The Independent
Gregg Wallace person
Apologised for any distress caused, said the report cleared him of the most serious allegations, and later apologised again while saying the culture was engineered from the top down.
“matching the culture that was engineered from the top down” — The Independent
BBC organisation
Dismissed Wallace and Torode in July 2025; the Daily Mail says it had contacted the BBC for comment on Tebbutt's remarks, and no response is reported.
“The BBC has been contacted by the Daily Mail for comment.” — Daily Mail
Left1 article
-
Marcus Wareing says Gregg Wallace is ‘moving on now’ after MasterChef scandal
Neutral Reports Wareing's restrained comments on Wallace and Torode alongside a factual recap of the allegations, apologies and legal action.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Sympathetic Presents Tebbutt's account of a poorly handled sacking by the BBC, with emphatic quotes and the BBC's response sought.
- 26 Oct 09:27 First Daily MailR Axed MasterChef The Professionals host Matt Tebbutt recalls the 'brutal' moment he was sacked by the BBC just hours before appearing on The One Show as he says he was 'livid'
- 26 Oct 09:28 +1m The IndependentLC Marcus Wareing says Gregg Wallace is ‘moving on now’ after MasterChef scandal
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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