Written by James Staunton, director of bClear Communications
It’s Gregg Wallace, again. The disgraced MasterChef presenter, who was sacked by the BBC in July following a six-month investigation which found him guilty of “inappropriate language”, has now reportedly decided to sue the broadcaster over “data protection”. According to documents filed at the High Court, Wallace, 60, is launching legal action against the BBC. The Sun reports Wallace is requesting the release of more than 200 internal documents as he considers pursuing a disability discrimination claim for lost earnings, saying that the BBC failed to accommodate his autism (a cough at the back from those of us who are also neurodivergent).
Regardless of the fact that 45 separate allegations of misconduct were upheld in a substantial report – including that he made those very same inappropriate and sexually explicit comments, initiated unwanted physical contact and was found in a “state of undress” three times (not to mention substantiated allegations of bullying and making culturally insensitive or racist remarks) – Wallace, it seems, is trying to clear his name.
I just don’t think this is a great way for him to proceed. Aside from his behaviour, this represents yet another PR misstep.
First, Wallace blamed “middle-class women of a certain age” for making the claims against him in the first place, because they are, apparently, unable to take jokes about lewd sex acts, or something. He told The Sun, shortly after his sacking: “I’m hurt” and repeated his belief that he was accused of wrongdoing by women with an “agenda” against him.
Then he deflected further with his autism. The Times even reported friends of Wallace as saying his autism means “he can’t wear underwear”, using his condition as a scapegoat for his inappropriate behaviour. And now he is apparently going to try to sue to get compensation for it.
He was defiant right from the start, taking to social media to post furious videos saying that during the seven-month investigation into his behaviour, “no one complained about sexual harassment” – implying a lack of formal complaints means he did nothing wrong; he stigmatised the autistic community and infuriated charities by insisting nothing was done “to investigate my disability” or “protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment for over 20 years”.
His behaviour certainly doesn’t scream remorse. And PR-wise, the one thing you should avoid doing in this sort of situation is trying to use misdirection or deflect blame. Don’t blame women of a certain age. Or autism. The approach never works.
Look at Philip Schofield who faced intense backlash after admitting to an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague at ITV. Reports also surfaced of toxic behaviour on set. Schofield’s initial response included coming out as gay, which some perceived as an attempt to garner sympathy and frame the narrative around his personal identity – rather than addressing workplace behaviour or the affair. When he participated in Channel 5’s Cast Away, he reflected on his downfall and attempted to position himself as a victim of media scrutiny. This was seen as deflecting responsibility by focusing on his personal struggles rather than the allegations of misconduct. Public reaction to Cast Away was overwhelmingly negative. His reputation remains damaged and his career has not recovered.
In 2020, Ellen DeGeneres faced allegations her TV show was a toxic workplace, including claims of bullying and mistreatment of staff. DeGeneres issued an apology that blamed staff for mismanagement and highlighted her personal stress and ignorance of the issues, deflecting responsibility. This deflection failed to restore trust, the show ended and DeGeneres’ reputation remains tarnished.
When Kevin Spacey faced allegations of sexual misconduct, with multiple accusers detailing his inappropriate behaviour, he pursued aggressive legal defences and came out as gay. His response was tone-deaf and only served to alienate the public further. His reputation remains severely damaged, with no significant career recovery and no major projects since 2018. His misdirection alienated communities and appeared unrepentant.
Most recently, various allies of Angela Rayner have suggested underpaying her taxes to the tune of £40,000 had something to do with her “humble” origins. Not only does this strike me as patronising, it did not wash with anyone.
Advising someone like Wallace on their PR is clearly a tough gig. My recommendation to Wallace would be to stop digging. Writing in the i paper today, Victoria Richards said, “I am itching to say: for goodness sake, man, just be quiet”. Well, quite. Wallace is his own worst enemy. What he’s really doing is reminding us all of exactly what he did wrong in the first place. He needs to recognise when he’s done wrong and to admit it – gracefully – and apologise.
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