BBC Drops Australian MasterChef Host Over Racism Allegation

Here’s what led to the decision.

John Torode during the Master Chef Lunch as part of Advertising Week Europe London, England on March 26, 2015. Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images

Australian-born MasterChef UK host John Torode has been given the chop from the show amid accusations he used “extremely offensive” racist language in the workplace.

While exact details of the language used have not been revealed, the revelation came in the wake of a lengthy investigation into fellow host Gregg Wallace.

That investigation, led by UK law firm Lewis Silkin, examined a “substantial number of allegations of inappropriate conduct spanning 19 years.”

During that investigation, a separate complaint involving Torode’s alleged racist language surfaced.

Torode has denied the alleged incident and says he has no recollection of making any such remarks.

However, the BBC maintains that Torode did use offensive language.

“John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him,” the BBC said in a statement.

“This allegation—which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace—was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm, Lewis Silkin.”

The BBC acknowledged Torode’s denial.

“John Torode denies the allegation. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment,” the statement said.

The BBC said it escalated the matter to MasterChef’s production company, Banijay UK.

“The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously,” it said. “John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”

The separate scandals around Wallace and Torode have left questions around whether the final series hosted by the pair, which is still to air, will go ahead.

“At this stage, we are not going to make a final decision on the broadcast of the series that was filmed last year,” the BBC said.

“We know this is disappointing for fans of the show and those who took part, and at the appropriate time, Banijay UK will consult further with the amateur contestants.”

The BBC also axed two Christmas specials featuring Wallace, originally scheduled for December 2024.

MasterChef remains the UK’s third most popular cooking program, according to viewing statistics.

It falls just behind The Hairy Bikers’ Food Tour of Britain and the Great British Bake Off, but remains more popular than Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.

It is ranked as the most-watched cooking program by men in the UK.

The original series aired from 1990 until 2001, with a revived series running from 2008 till the present.