Penny Lancaster has opened up about her husband Rod Stewart’s takedown of Gregg Wallace while appearing on live TV.
In November Sir Rod, 79, slammed Wallace, describing him as a ‘tubby, bald-headed bully’ and claiming that he humiliated his wife.
This comment was made after it was announced that the BBC had launched an investigation into historical allegations of misconduct against him, with Wallace stepped down from hosting MasterChef after 20 years.
On Loose Women on Thursday afternoon, Lancaster appeared on the panel show and revealed that she had no idea her husband was planning to post about the incident.
‘I didn’t realise my husband had sent that post out until it was out,’ she told the panel.
‘And of course, you can imagine the influx of inquiries there were.
‘I most definitely was witness and victim to some of the bullying and harassment behaviour of Gregg Wallace and, unfortunately, a lot of those involved in the production team were also witness to that.’
Lancaster appeared on Masterchef Celebrity in 2021, making it nearly all the way to the semi-final before being booted off.
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She explained that she thought her husband wanted to speak out because other people had spoken about the presenter.
‘I think my husband, when he heard people talking about his disturbing behaviour, he thought needed to say something.’
She then added that she was actually on jury service and ‘off the grid’ when Sir Rod made the post and didn’t find out about it until much later when she turned on her phone and received a text from her friend.
She revealed: I’ was in shock then at the same time I felt a little bit vindicated that something was put out there.’
In the post, Sir Rod wrote: ‘So Greg Wallace gets fired from Masterchef. Good riddance Wallace…
‘You humiliated my wife when she was on the show but you had that bit cut out didn’t you? You’re a tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully. Karma got ya.’
‘And I really feel that he used his position of power to, I believe, intimidate and cause distress to a lot of people on set.
‘And it’s really unfortunate that someone like him is allowed to get away with that, and while others sort of stand by and let it happen at the same time.”
She then added that it was ‘shocking to think how many women do suffer in the hands of men… in a powerful position and are too afraid to talk out’.
It was revealed that 13 people had accused Wallace of making inappropriate sexual comments, including former Newsnight’s Kirsty Wark, who competed on Celebrity MasterChef in 2011.
Wallace has denied any claims of any inappropriate sexual comments or misconduct.
A BBC spokesperson said: ‘We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them.
‘We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.
‘Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them.’
Penny Lancaster addresses husband Rod Stewart’s Gregg Wallace takedown for first time