John Torode has expressed his admiration for Grace Dent, who is taking over as presenter of MasterChef following his departure from the BBC programme.
In a post on Substack, the 60-year-old chef described Ms Dent as "a strong extraordinary woman" who "stands up for all that she believes in and supports."
Mr Torode, who was removed from the cooking competition after racism allegations were upheld against him, also took aim at those who criticised him, referring to them as "the cult."
He wrote that Ms Dent was "graceful and never scared of doing the right thing or worried that the cult might too ostracise her."
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John Torode expressed his admiration for Grace Dent, who is taking over as presenter
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The former presenter added: "It was a privilege to stand by her side. Her support unfailing."
Mr Torode's exit from MasterChef came after the BBC confirmed that an independent investigation by law firm Lewis Silkin had substantiated a complaint against him.
The corporation stated that the allegation involved "an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace" during production in 2018.
The BBC said it "takes this upheld finding extremely seriously" and would "not tolerate racist language of any kind."
Grace Dent has officially transitioned from guest critic to a primary judge and host of the MasterChef franchise
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Mr Torode has denied the allegation, stating he has no recollection of the incident.
His departure followed 21 years on the programme and came shortly after co-presenter Gregg Wallace, 61, was also dismissed.
Mr Wallace's sacking followed a separate report that upheld more than 40 allegations regarding his conduct, including claims of unwelcome physical contact and being in a state of undress.
Mr Torode also paid tribute to his wife Lisa Faulkner in the same Substack post, describing the 53-year-old actress as "my rock, my best friend, my love, my wife, a Wonder Woman."
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Greg Wallace was dismissed from the show just before Mr Torode
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He added: "Nothing else needs to be said."
The couple first met in 2010 when Ms Faulkner appeared as a contestant on Celebrity MasterChef, and they married in 2019.
Ms Faulkner has spoken equally warmly about her husband, telling Hello! magazine: "He's my husband and my best mate. We really do support each other and hold each other's hands through everything."
The Holby City star praised Mr Torode's character, saying: "He's such a gentleman and so kind."
She revealed that the chef has been helping her prepare for her upcoming theatre role by running through her lines with her.
Ms Faulkner is preparing to return to the stage in Single White Female, a psychological thriller based on the 1990s film and John Lutz's bestselling novel.
The actress will portray Allie, a recently divorced single mother who takes in a lodger, only for the arrangement to take a dark turn.
Coronation Street star Kym Marsh, 49, will appear opposite her as Hedy, the roommate who develops a disturbing obsession.
John Torode and Lisa Faulkner first met in 2010 when Ms Faulkner appeared as a contestant on Celebrity MasterChef
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Ms Faulkner told Hello! magazine that Mr Torode has been enthusiastic about her career move: "He's so happy for me."
Her close friends Angela Griffin and Amanda Holden are also backing her theatrical return, though Ms Faulkner has asked them to keep their attendance dates secret.
She explained that spotting familiar faces in the audience would distract her during performances.
Ms Dent has previously spoken highly of Mr Torode, describing him as "one of the kindest, most concerned, clever, thoughtful men that I know."