John Torode’s wife Lisa Faulkner has publicly expressed her support after the news broke that Grace Dent will succeed Gregg Wallace on the much-loved culinary competition MasterChef.
Torode, who’s been co-presenting MasterChef since 2005, lauded Grace, stating: “I have loved working with Grace on MasterChef over the years. She has been an excellent guest, an inspiring critic and also set some incredible challenges.”
He further complimented Grace’s fit for the role: “Expertise is what MasterChef is all about, from the contestants to our wonderful production team, to us as judges.
“The love of food, the love of MasterChef, and that unquestionable expertise, makes Grace the perfect person to step in alongside me as judge for the forthcoming Celebrity MasterChef series.”
In a show of solidarity and enthusiasm, Lisa, John’s wife, cheered on Grace with the message: “Go Grace! ! ! ! ! ! ! “.
Grace Dent, 51, isn’t new to the MasterChef realm; she’s familiar to viewers as a guest judge and has now been appointed to judge the upcoming series of Celebrity MasterChef following Gregg Wallace’s departure from his BBC role amid an investigation into past allegations of misconduct, the Mirror reports.
Wallace, 60, has vehemently denied the allegations but is committed to cooperating fully with investigations.
Grace, who also participated in MasterChef: Battle Of The Critics, shared her long-standing connection with the show: “I’ve been watching MasterChef since I was a girl sitting with my dad on the sofa.”
Join the Daily Record’s WhatsApp community hereand get the latest news sent straight to your messages
Her appointment heralds a new chapter for the programme that has captivated audiences for years.
She added: “My whole family watches it. It’s all about uncovering and championing talent – and to have ended up in this position, is more than a dream to me. I’m so excited that I can’t eat, which is severely detrimental to a restaurant critic.
“I feel very lucky to be stepping in for the next Celebrity MasterChef. I can’t wait to meet the fresh celebrity faces for 2025.”
This comes as Wallace departs following allegations made by several women, including Newsnight’s Kirsty Wark. In response, Banijay UK, the show’s production company, announced an external review into historical misconduct allegations.
Wallace’s legal team has refuted these claims, telling the BBC: “It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.”
After the allegations surfaced, John stated: “The thought of anyone who has appeared on our show not having a brilliant experience is awful to hear.”
He also expressed his full support for the investigation, adding that he “cannot make any further comment at this stage”.
Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here.