John Torode heads out for a cycle as he moves on from 'sexual' comment to Cat Deeley amid backlash as Gregg Wallace denies claims he boasted about his sex life to female employee
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John Torode looked to be putting himself through his paces as he headed out for a cycle on Tuesday.
The outing marks the first time the TV chef has been seen after coming under fire for a 'sexual' comment to Cat Deeley live on This Morning last week.
While the Masterchef host only intended to make a light-hearted joke during the cooking segment, the comment was ill-timed as it came after his co-star Gregg Wallace was forced to deny claims that he made inappropriate sexual comments to a female staffer.
John was slammed by appalled viewers of the ITV day time show after he made a 'disgustingly sexual' sausage innuendo to host Cat.
Yet John appeared to be moving on from the furore as he jumped on his bike sporting a red coat and bike helmet.
John Torode headed out for a cycle on Tuesday as he moves on from his ill-timed 'sexual' comment to Cat Deeley on This Morning last week
The outing marks the first time the TV chef has been seen after he appalled viewers of the ITV day time show after he made a 'disgustingly sexual' sausage innuendo to host Cat
Adding a pair of dark grey cycling shorts, the star added black gloves to keep warm as he cycled through the streets.
The snaps come after his wife Lisa Faulkner appeared weary as she emerged for the first time on Monday, following the controversy over her husband.
Lisa claimed her husband's co-star repeatedly told rude jokes that she 'didn't want to hear' on MasterChef, when she appeared on the show in 2010.
Amid the claims, Lisa looked downcast as she stepped out for a brisk walk to walk her dog.
John was caught up in his own joke furore when plating up a dish of toad in the hole during a cooking segment of This Morning that left Cat grimacing.
John joked: 'I never thought I'd say to Cat Deeley, "Here's a little sausage for you darling".''
Cat, 47, tapped him on the back and replied: 'Oh I like it, thank you,' before she turned to make a face at the camera.
Viewers took to social media to point out the unfortunate timing of John's comment in the light of the scandal affecting his co-presenter.
Yet John appeared to be moving on from the furore as he jumped on his bike sporting a red coat and bike helmet.
While the Masterchef host only intended to make a light-hearted joke during the cooking segment, the comment was ill-timed
he snaps come after his wife Lisa Faulkner appeared weary as she emerged for the first time on Monday, following the controversy over her husband
Adding a pair of dark grey cycling shorts, the star added black gloves to keep warm as he cycled through the streets
'Why is John Torode's co-star the bald one getting in trouble for sexual innuendos when he said today live on ITV with Cat Deeley,' the social media user wrote.
'Make sure he is sacked as well.. women shouldn't put up with these disgusting sexual comments any longer!'
Opening up on her time on the show - which saw her win the Celebrity MasterChef trophy -Lisa told The Sun she would overhear the former greengrocer's jokes as she was chopping away.
Last week, Greg admitted to feeling stressed as he offered tips on healthy eating while also alluding to new allegations made against him.
He told viewers he was 'a little bit distracted at the moment', but said he 'wanted to check in and say hello'.
His latest social media riposte came as it emerged Lisa would think, 'I don't want to hear this', as he delivered punchlines to crew of the BBC's flagship cookery show.
Viewers took to social media to point out the unfortunate timing of John's comment in the light of the scandal affecting his co-presenter Gregg
John headed out for some exercise on the crisp autumn day
He cut a sporty figure in his cycling gear
John was caught up in his own joke furore when plating up a dish of toad in the hole during a cooking segment of This Morning that left Cat grimacing
John was plating up a dish of toad in the hole during a cooking segment of This Morning when he joked: 'I never thought I'd say to Cat Deeley, ''Here's a little sausage for you darling'''
John's inappropriate language comes after his co-star Gregg was forced to deny claims that he made inappropriate sexual comments to a female staffer
John looked a far cry from his usual casual self when cooking up dishes in the This Morning kitchen
John looked in the zone as he pedalled down the street
Brookside and Holby City star Lisa said: 'Gregg was telling – I'm probably not allowed to say this…Gregg just told rude joke after rude joke to the crew.
'You're just sitting there and if you're on the front bench just chopping away thinking, "I've got ten minutes left", and he's saying, "So this girl walked into a bar…"
'And I'm going, "Please, I don't want to hear this joke".
Her husband John, 59, who was on stage with her to promote their new book, told her: 'It's changed quite a lot really…'
It comes after Gregg, 59, denied claims he boasted about his sex life to a younger female BBC employee and took his top off in front of her while filming a game show - saying he would never 'flirt with' or 'hit on' another woman.
Gregg said in another Instagram video message last week that he has always been true to his wife Anne-Marie Sterpini (pictured together in October 2019)
Lisa has said Gregg would tell 'rude joke after rude joke' on MasterChef (pictured in 2010)
Bosses at the corporation are said to have hauled the MasterChef co-host into a meeting in 2018 following allegations of 'inappropriate sexual comments' and told him to 'change his behaviour'.
An insider claims Gregg brushed it off as 'just banter', having been reported for making 'consistent inappropriate comments' to the member of the production team while working on game show Impossible Celebrities.
But taking to Instagram, Wallace hit back at the allegations in an emotional video saying he was 'madly in love' with his wife Anna.
He said: 'The story that's hitting the newspapers this morning 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. I'll need to repeat this again. I didn't say anything sexual.
'Despite what the newspapers are suggesting nobody six years ago accused me of flirting with anybody or hitting on anybody.
'And the reason I say this is because of my wife Anna. I have always been true to my wife Anna and have never flirted or hit on anybody in the 12 years [since] I met her and fell in love with her.
'And it's important that, so that people don't misunderstand that, that I am true to my wife.'
The Brookside and Holby City star told the Cheltenham Literature Festival last weekend how she would overhear the former greengrocer's jokes as she was chopping away
She admitted she would think 'I don't want to hear this' as Gregg (pictured) delivered punchlines to crew of the BBC's flagship cookery show
Greg added: 'I've had a fair bit of stress over the last few days, but my healthy lifestyle choices have stayed the same because that's my lifestyle. That’s what I do without thinking.
'Does that make sense to people? I really, really hope it does. I'm a little bit distracted at the moment, you can probably tell.'
The allegations of inappropriate comments have only now emerged amid the BBC this week launching a probe into workplace culture as bosses aim to crack down on the 'abuse of power'.
The insider who made the claims against Greg, which his team says are 'inaccurate', raised questions as to why he was allowed to continue presenting MasterChef.
They told the Sun: 'He is said to have been boasting about his sex life with his partner at the time.
At one point, Greg was also accused of taking his top off in front of the woman which felt inappropriate.
The team working on the show were said to have gone to BBC bosses to complain after being left 'mortified' by Greg's alleged behaviour.
A spokesman for the BBC told The Sun: 'Whilst we do not comment on individuals, if issues are raised they are dealt with swiftly and appropriately at the time.
Gregg denied claims he boasted about his sex life to a younger female BBC employee and took his top off in front of her while filming a game show, saying he would never 'flirt with' or 'hit on' another woman
Gregg boasted about his sex life to a younger female BBC employee and took his top off in front of her, it has been claimed
Bosses at the corporation are said to have hauled the MasterChef co-host into a meeting in 2018 following allegations of 'inappropriate sexual comments' and told him to 'change his behaviour'
'We do not tolerate any form of inappropriate behaviour and have robust processes in place.'
It was previously reported by the Times back in May last year that he had allegedly offended female staff members at the Nestlé UK factory in York with comments about their weight during a 'friendly' conversation.
Greg then denied that he left the BBC show Inside The Factory in March that year due to inappropriate comments made towards female staff.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain in August 2023, the called the claims 'inaccurate'.
The newspaper had quoted a source as saying: 'He was rude towards staff and continued to talk in a derogatory manner, especially to women.'
The comments were reportedly non-sexual but deemed 'inappropriate' and a complaint was lodged with Voltage TV, the production company responsible for developing the show.
When asked on GMB by Richard Madeley about his departure from the programme, Wallace responded by saying: 'There was an argument inside the factory, the reporting isn't accurate.
'There was an issue and I thought this is the perfect time to come out.'
Greg quit BBC show Inside The Factory in March last year after allegations that he had been 'rude towards staff' and spoke to them in a 'derogatory manner, especially to women'
Greg has presented MasterChef since 2005 alongside co-host John Torode (right)
Gregg Wallace (left) and John Torode (right) have co-presented MasterChef since 2005
'Offending people? No, no - if you look at the headlines, you can't see a story that matches those headlines.'
Gregg also revealed that he also wanted to leave to help care for his son Sid, born in 2019, who is autistic.
Explaining his home situation, he said: 'I've got a little boy called Sid who at the moment is non-verbal, he is still in nappies, he's got learning difficulties. Mum needed help there.'
He revealed that the demanding nature of the filming around the different factories across the country meant that it made sense to give it up.
He added: 'It's completely inaccurate, I didn't challenge it. There was an issue, I don't want to discuss the issue but it wasn't what the papers said it was.
'There was nothing offensive to anybody that's just people guessing. It was a decent time to come out, I think.'
Greg wed Anne-Marie Sterpini, 22 years younger than him, at Hever Castle in Kent in August 2016, having met three years earlier.
