There has been plenty of off-screen drama over the show’s 17-season run.

The latest season of MasterChef UK might not make it to air after judge Gregg Wallace was accused of misconduct.

The long-time judge of the reality TV show was fired this week after an investigation into the claims upheld 45 of the 83 allegations made against the TV personality between 2005 and 2018.

The majority of the claims related to “inappropriate sexual language and humour,” with one incident including unwelcome physical contact.

The BBC has since released a statement apologising and stating that Gregg’s “return to MasterChef is untenable”.

“The BBC has informed Mr Wallace we have no plans to work with him in future,” the statement read. “Although the full extent of these issues were not known at the relevant time, opportunities were missed to address this behaviour, both by the production companies running MasterChef and the BBC.”

MasterChef UK is not the only version of the hit reality TV series to be plagued by scandals. MasterChef Australia has also experienced its fair share of behind-the-scenes scandals and dramas over its 17-season run.

Here are all the scandals that have plagued MasterChef Australia over the years:

The George Calombaris payment scandal

In 2019, it was revealed that MasterChef judge George Calombaris had underpaid his current and former staff by $7.8 million.

“We love in Australia [to] never let the truth get in the way of a good story,” he said in a statement at the time. “The truth of the matter is that we overpaid and underpaid 51 per cent of our crew and 49 per cent of them, we had 550 team members and we found the problem.”

“We went to Fair Work, we owned up and we paid.”

The celebrity chef has since paid back the $7.8 million that was owing to his former staff. He was also fined $200,000.

Around the same time the wage scandal broke, the then MasterChef judge was seen shoving a 19-year-old fan at the A-League grand final. He has since had his conviction overturned on appeal.

“It was six months of pain you know, I had to go in and out of court three times, hire one of the best KC’s of the time,” he said last week on the The Ouzo Talk Podcast.

“I reckon it cost around three million bucks that, in loss of endorsements… Ridiculous, stupid, I would have rather taken that three million and given it to charity.”

In an intense sit-down interview with ABC’s 7.30 host Leigh Sales in 2019, George spoke candidly about the toll that period of his life took on him.
Credit: Instagram.
“It takes a long time to build a reputation, in your case 25 years of work, and you can lose it in a week,” Leigh Sales said to George, before asking, “What has been the toll of that on you?”

“I love this industry, I really do, and I love every opportunity that it’s given me,” he said, his voice shaking.

“I’m not here to blame anyone,” he said. “I take full responsibility for this. I’m sorry.”

The celebrity chef told the program he was devastated to find out that his business had failed his staff.

“I won’t forget that afternoon in 2017 when we sat there with my new business partners after we’d done a full audit for the business and discovered the underpayments,” George told 7.30.

“The thing about 13 years ago, you’re a young chef, 26 years of age, you want to open your first restaurant, you get together with three other partners at that point, and you open the first one, then the second one opens, the third one, the creativity is flying, the ideas are flying, the dreaming is there,” he explained.

“But the sophistication in the back end wasn’t there.

“There was no CEO, there was no people culture manager, there was no elite finance team like we’ve got now, that can make sure that mistake that we made will never happen again.”

Julie Goodwin’s DUI charge

In 2018, former MasterChef winner Julie Goodwin was convicted of driving while she was over the legal limit.

The beloved cookbook author was driving home from a function when she made a U-turn away from a random breath test site in North Gosford, on NSW’s Central Coast.

She was fined $600 and her license was suspended for six months.

“It is with great shame and regret that I write these words,” she wrote in a statement on Facebook at the time. “Last night while driving home from a celebratory function I had catered, I was stopped by police and subjected to a random breath test which I failed. I have subsequently been charged with mid-range drink driving.”

“Needless to say I accept full responsibility for this error in judgment, which I believe is completely out of character for me.”

She went on to apologise to her family, friends, colleagues and fans.

“I want to take the opportunity to offer a heartfelt and unreserved apology to my family, my colleagues, and to the broader community. I would also like to apologise to everyone that has supported me over many years, I have let you all down,” she wrote. “I am devastated that I have acted in a way so contrary to what I believe, to how I usually conduct myself, and to what I have taught my children.”

“Many lessons will flow from this, and I will learn from each of them,” she added.

Contestant Ben Ungermann’s shock allegations

In 2021, former MasterChef contestant Ben Ungermann pleaded guilty to the charge of common law assault after prosecutors dropped three sexual assault charges.

He was accused of plying a 16-year-old girl with alcohol and grabbing her on a hotel bed.
Credit: Channel 10.
He was ordered to make a $1000 donation to the White Ribbon Foundation, attend counselling and apologise to the 16-year-old.

“I have determined to give you the opportunity of diversion which means that there will be no recording of a conviction and no finding of guilt, but there is an admission of responsibility and acceptance of the charge before the court,” Magistrate Mia Stylianou said at the sentencing hearing.

“I accept everything that’s been put on your behalf, the impact that these proceedings have had on you, the extra-curial punishment, the loss to your reputation and everything that has followed.”

Reynold Poernomo’s homophobic comments resurface

In 2020, while Reynold Poernomo was a contestant on MasterChef Australia: Back to Win, homophobic comments he made on a body building forum in 2014 resurfaced online.

Reynold was 20 years old when he responded in a thread that asked: “First gay couple featured on the Disney Channel. Do you agree with them?”

“I wish the world made a united decision where they will capture all gay people and put them on a remote island full of gays, that way straight (people) will be happy and the freaks can go on and f**k themselves,” he responded.
Credit: Channel 10.
When the comments resurfaced in 2020, Reynold was quick offer an apology through a statement sent to News.com.au at the time.

“I would like to offer my sincere and deepest apologies for the comments that I made in 2014. I am ashamed of these comments and I regret them immensely,” he said.

“At the time these comments were made, I was a very immature, close-minded and insular 20-year-old. I have grown and matured a lot in the last six years. I am not the person I was back then.

“I have many friends and colleagues that are part of the LGBTIQ+ community. I wholeheartedly support them and care deeply for them. I am truly sorry and apologise for any offence or hurt I caused.”

Matt Preston’s feud with Marco Pierre White

In 2016, Marco Pierre White’s son Marco Pierre White Jnr was filmed having sex with a fellow contestant on Celebrity Big Brother UK.

During a radio interview with the Kyle and Jackie O show, then MasterChef judge Matt Preston suggested that Marco Jnr was “off the rails”.

“I think it is that terrible thing when you have kids that go off the rails, how do you deal with it?” he told the radio hosts. “I don’t know. I don’t think Marco has a solution, I don’t think anyone has a solution.”

He then claimed Marco Jnr may have been involved with drugs.

“I think there is absolutely nothing wrong with your children having a highly evolved social life but I think the drugs might be a little bit of a worry,” he said.

Marco Snr then vowed “on his mother’s grave” to never forgive Matt for the perceived betrayal.

“The things he said about my son in the British press were disgraceful,” he said in an interview with Adelaide Now. “No one should ever say that about someone else’s children. I will never forgive that man.”