Former TV star Gregg Wallace has taken aim at ready meals and claimed that they are to blame for the UK’s obesity crisis, just weeks after he launched his own range. The food critic, 60, stepped back from his beloved role on MasterChef in November 2024, as allegations of misconduct surfaced.
The BBC and production company Banijay UK launched formal investigations into the claims which Gregg’s lawyers have vehemently denied any accusations of sexual harassment.
Now Gregg has hit out at the nutritional values of ready meals in a blog on his website, just after he waded into the instant meal market with his own frozen ready meals, costing at least £8 a time.
Writing on his blog, Gregg said: “We live now in an age where food is available to us 24 hours of the day. Now some may say this is a good thing, it’s progress.
“Some could well argue that being able to phone for your meals or grab a ready-made meal that just needs to be microwaved or even grabbing for a sandwich, is a positive thing.
“The obvious problem with this is, the rise of the snack and the takeaway culture has gone hand in hand with the rise of obesity and record numbers of type two diabetes.”
This rebuke comes in the face of his own range, which he launched in January, with his meals costing £8 each or eight for £60. Promoting these meals, Gregg described them as: “Delicious, Nutritious Ready Meals that taste so good you might not believe they’re healthy!
“Kick start your New Year’s resolution with delicious, healthy and filling meals. Note: We don’t currently deliver to the Scottish Highlands, Channel Islands, or Northern Ireland.”
One of his meals is a curry, of which Gregg told prospective customers: “Experience a flavourful and satisfying meal with our homemade frozen Chicken & Mushroom Curry. Made with spicy chicken and savoury mushrooms, this 500g ready meal also includes nutritious brown rice. Perfect for a quick and delicious dinner option.”
In October, Eat Well for Less star was accused of gross misconduct, including making inappropriate sexual comments and engaging in bullying behaviour. He stepped down from MasterChef while the BBC launched an investigation into the allegations.
The following month it was revealed that he would be replaced on the Celebrity MasterChef judging panel for the upcoming series, with renowned restaurant critic Grace Dent joining John Torode. This news followed serious allegations from Penny Lancaster, who claimed she was a “victim of bullying and harassment” by Wallace.
Gregg, however, previously brushed off the complaints, dismissing them as coming from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age.” His comments have since been widely criticised by public figures, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who condemned his remarks as both inappropriate and misogynistic.
Meanwhile, Gregg’s lawyers were previously quoted by BBC News as saying “it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”.
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