John Torode’s wife Lisa Faulkner says MasterChef star Gregg Wallace would tell constant ‘rude jokes’

Holby City star, Lisa Faulkner – who is also the wife of MasterChef judge John Torode – has said Greg Wallace made “rude joke after rude joke” during her time on the show.

Wallace is facing accusations that he made inappropriate comments of a sexual nature around a female member of BBC staff in 2018. He has denied the claims and said they were investigated at the time and found to “not to be sexual”.

Faulkner, 52, won Celebrity MasterChef in 2010, and remained friends with judge Torode after the show ended, with the couple marrying in 2019.

Promoting their new cookbook John and Lisa’s Kitchen at the Cheltenham Literature Festival last week, Faulkner tentatively shed light on her experience.

“Gregg was telling – I’m probably not allowed to say this…Gregg just told rude joke after rude joke to the crew,” Faulkner told the audience, according to the Daily Mail.

“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’.”

Torode defended his co-star as he interjected, “It’s changed quite a lot really…”

Wallace, 59, is accused of bragging about his sex life with wife Anna Wallace, and taking his top off in front of the employee in 2018, according to The Sun.

The TV personality, and former Inside the Factory host, vehemently denied the accusations, sharing a video on Instagram on Monday morning (14 October).

“Good morning. With reference to what’s in the newspapers these allegations were investigated by the BBC six years ago,” he explained.

“The allegations were investigated by the BBC six years ago, and my comments were found to be not sexual. I repeat not sexual. Thank you.”

Wallace, who says he is “madly in love” with his wife Anna, 37, said it was his priority to ensure that it was clear that he was not “flirting” with anybody who is not his wife.

“Something else that I feel very strongly about - strong enough to be on [Instagram] - nobody six years ago or since has accused me of flirting with anybody or hitting on anybody,” he added.

Last year the presenter quit Inside the Factory over “inappropriate” comments allegedly made to female staff.