BBC presenter Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from MasterChef while complaints from 13 people about historical allegations of misconduct including alleged inappropriate 𝑠e𝑥ual comments and jokes are investigated, it was revealed today. Wallace, 60, is ‘committed to fully cooperating throughout the process’, the show’s production company Banijay UK said. Already recorded episodes of MasterChef: The Professionals, which is currently on BBC One and featuring Wallace, will transmit as planned into December.

Gregg Wallace allegedly wandered into the MasterChef studio ‘completely naked’ apart from a ‘sock pulled over his penis’ before throwing himself into a ‘silly dance’, a report claims. Wallace, 60, is also accused mimicking a 𝑠e𝑥 act in front of a member of the show’s production staff who was kneeling down to clean his trousers during filming, according to the lurid and so-far unsubstantiated allegations. The Daily Telegraph says it has spoken to a witness who claims to have seen both these alleged incidents. Gregg was also ‘very touchy feely’, the newspaper quotes the witness as saying.

A British beautician accused of smuggling £15million worth of cocaine in her suitcases, has said she accepted a free holiday to Cancun because it would be a ‘breath of fresh air’ during a difficult time at home — as she faces 60 years in jail. Kim Hall, 28, from Middlesbrough, was stopped at Chicago’s O’Hare airport as she prepared to board a connecting flight to Manchester on August 18. Homeland Security investigators found 43kg of cocaine packed in two suitcases and detained the young woman, who is being held in a safe house before her trial.

BBC presenter Gregg Wallace has stepped away from MasterChef after 13 people including Newsnight host Kirsty Wark accused him of ‘wrong’ and inappropriate ‘𝑠e𝑥ualised’ behaviour during filming, it was revealed today. Wallace, 60, has been accused of taking his top off in front of a female worker saying he wanted to ‘give her a fashion show’ and talking about his 𝑠e𝑥 life to others. On one occasion he allegedly told a junior female colleague he wasn’t wearing any boxer shorts under his jeans.

Keir Starmer admitted he must bring down immigration today after shock figures showed the annual record has been smashed again. The PM insisted Britain can no longer be a ‘soft touch’ after huge revisions to official data showed net inflows were 906,000 in the year to June 2023. Arrivals in the 12 months to June this year were 728,000 higher than those leaving the country. In itself that was almost as much as the previous long-term immigration record.

The Spanish government is bringing in new rules demanding hotels gather personal data on tourists – including family information, bank cards and addresses – and hand it over to security services. Spanish hotels already ask guests for their ID card or passport details, but the new rules are expected to be the strictest in the EU with up to 31 pieces of personal data collected. The legislation is set to come into force from Monday, and will require tour operators, holiday rental platforms and car hire companies to gather data on customers.