Celebrity chef John Torode will not return as a presenter on MasterChef, after an investigation upheld an allegation that he used an “extremely offensive racist term.” The long-time host, who joined the show in 2005, addressed the situation in a statement posted to Instagram on Tuesday, saying he had “no recollection” of the alleged incident and was not given an opportunity to discuss his exit with the BBC or the show’s production company, Banijay UK.
Earlier that day, Banijay confirmed that, in agreement with the BBC, Torode’s contract would not be renewed. BBC Director General Tim Davie later described the language involved as “a serious racist term which does not get to be acceptable in any way, shape or form.”
The development comes amid mounting controversy surrounding the MasterChef franchise. Just last week, co-host Gregg Wallace was also removed from the show after more than 40 complaints about inappropriate sexual language were upheld following an inquiry. Wallace has denied all allegations.
According to the BBC, the upheld complaint against Torode stems from an incident believed to have occurred in 2018 or 2019 in a social context. Torode maintains he has no memory of the event, but acknowledged reports that the person involved did not think the remark was malicious and that he had apologized at the time.
In his statement, Torode said: “I haven’t heard directly from the BBC or Banijay, but I’m seeing that I’ve been ‘sacked’ from MasterChef. I repeat, I have no recollection of the alleged incident. The inquiry couldn’t even specify a date or year.”
He confirmed that episodes of Celebrity MasterChef, filmed with Grace Dent, and two Christmas specials would be his final appearances on the show. “It’s time to pass the cutlery to someone else,” he added.
The BBC stressed that the findings of the independent investigation, conducted by law firm Lewis Silkin, were taken seriously. A spokesperson stated: “The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind.”
Davie declined to confirm whether already-filmed episodes of MasterChef featuring both Torode and Wallace would air, citing the importance of honoring the efforts of the amateur chefs involved. “We’ll reflect and make a decision soon,” he said.
Despite the controversies, Davie affirmed that MasterChef has a future, emphasizing that “the show is much bigger than individuals.”
Torode, originally from Australia, had become a household name in the UK through his partnership with Wallace on both MasterChef and Celebrity MasterChef. The investigation that led to his dismissal was part of a broader review initiated after Wallace stepped back from the show last November.
