Rod Stewart Calls Gregg Wallace a 'Tubby, Bald-Headed, Ill-Mannered Bully,’ Says He ‘Humiliated’ Wife on Celebrity MasterChef

Mar. 15, 2025

Gregg Wallace, Penny Lancaster, Rod Stewart.Photo:Mike Marsland/WireImage; Dave Benett/Getty

Mike Marsland/WireImage; Dave Benett/Getty

Rod Stewartis speaking his mind.

The British rocker, 79, took toInstagramon Nov. 28 to share his reaction to news that Gregg Wallace isstepping awayfrom the U.K.’sMasterChefamid allegations of sexual misconduct. In a heated message, Stewart called Wallace out for alleged mistreatment of his wifePenny Lancasterwhen she was a contestant onCelebrity MasterChefin 2021.

Reps for Wallace have not responded to a request for comment from PEOPLE on Stewart’s claims.

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Earlier on Thursday,multipleoutletsreported thatMasterChef’s production company Banijay UK launched an investigation against Wallace, 60, and said in a statement that he is “committed to fully co-operating throughout the process” but would not be involved with the show during that time.

Wallace took toInstagramto share a few words with his fans.

“I would like to thank all the people getting in touch, reaching out and showing their support,” Wallace said in a video posted to Instagram. “It’s good of you, thank you very much.”

In response, BBC News and other outlets reported that Wallace’s lawyers slammed the claims, saying “it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.”

Gregg Wallace.Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty

Andrew Matthews - Pool/Getty

One of Wallace’s accusers is Scottish television presenter and journalist Kirsty Wark, who told BBC News as part of its investigation — which they noted was entirely independent of the production company’s current investigation — that Wallace told “sexualized” jokes during filming when she was a Celebrity MasterChef contestant back in 2011.

“There were two occasions in particular where he used sexualized language in front of a number of people, and it wasn’t as if anyone engaged with this,” she said in a video shared in a BBC News article. “It was completely one-way traffic, but I think people were uncomfortable, and [it was] something I didn’t really expect to happen.”

The article further reported that the BBC had previously warned Wallace that two women complained about his behavior in 2018 on the seriesImpossible Celebrities. The women alleged that Wallace “talked openly about his sex life to staff on the show” and made them feel uncomfortable.

The outlet stated that Wallace apologized at that time and the women who complained were offered counseling.

source: people.com