Despite suffering the blow of having her own cooking shows shelved by the BBC, Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Gregg Wallace on MasterChef.
Wallace, 60, was sacked as a presenter on the show following an inquiry into alleged misconduct and after 50 more people approached the BBC with fresh claims about the TV presenter.
The independent inquiry, conducted by an independent law firm on behalf of MasterChef's production company Banijay, is expected to publish its findings soon.
Wallace has denied the allegations and, in a lengthy statement on Instagram, he claimed he'd been cleared by the report of "the most serious and sensational allegations" made against him.
In his statement, he also conceded that he "recognised that some of my humour and language, at times, was inappropriate. For that, I apologise without reservation. But I was never the caricature now being sold for clicks".
He accused BBC News of "uncorroborated tittle tattle" in its reporting of the new claims and said the "BBC is no longer providing balanced impartial public service journalism. It is peddling baseless and sensationalised gossip masquerading as properly corroborated stories".
Wallace had initially stepped aside from the show in November last year after 13 people accused him of inappropriate sexual comments. He also denied the allegations at the time.
In December last year, it was confirmed that food critic Grace Dent would accompany Torode as a judge on the 2025 series of Celebrity MasterChef. However, it appears she may not be given the gig full-time.
Gregg Wallace has faced 50 fresh allegations of misconduct, according to BBC News
PA
Despite being described at the time of her appointment as "the perfect choice to step in for the next series of Celebrity MasterChef" by Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC, a new face has emerged as the favourite to take over permanently.
Hussain is the 2/1 frontrunner to be unveiled as Torode's new co-host when the next series of MasterChef rolls around.
The places her ahead of Monica Galleti and James Martin in the running, who've both been priced at 5/2 by William Hill for the part.
Elsewhere, the likes of Tom Kerridge, Lisa Faulkner, Poppy O'Toole, and even rapper-turned-foodie Snoop Dogg have emerged as 4/1 outsiders.
Nigella Lawson (9/2), Gordon Ramsay (5/1), Marcus Wareing (5/1), and Gino D'Acampo (6/1) have also been tipped for the role, although they are priced as rank outsiders.
Spokesperson for William Hill, Lee Phelps, said of the odds: “There could be a surprise name sampling the contestants' best efforts on the next season of MasterChef, with Snoop Dogg as short as 4/1 to replace the departing Gregg Wallace.
“The rapper hinted that he would be interested in the role late last year and is a joint-third favourite ahead of some major names in the culinary world, including Nigella Lawson (9/2) and Gordon Ramsay (5/1).
“TV chef Nadiya Hussain is favourite for the role at 2/1, while well-known face in the MasterChef kitchen Monica Galleti is 5/2 to make the switch across from judging MasterChef: The Professionals, and James Martin is similarly priced at 5/2.”
LATEST GREGG WALLACE DEVELOPMENTS:
Grace Dent initially replaced Gregg Wallace on Celebrity MasterChef after he stepped back last year
BBCShould Hussain bag the role, it would undoubtedly come as a surprise given she's made no secret of his disappointment in the BBC of late after it decided to stop making cookery shows with her.
A BBC spokesperson confirmed earlier this year: "After several wonderful series we have made the difficult decision not to commission another cookery show with Nadiya Hussain at the moment. Nadiya remains a much-valued part of the BBC family, and we look forward to working together on future projects."
Since the bombshell, Hussain has claimed to have received "tons of messages" telling her to be "grateful for the opportunity and be thankful for how far I’ve come", rather than express her disappointment at the news.
In response to this, Hussain shared a video on Instagram insisting why she wouldn't "be grateful" to the BBC for the opportunities extended to her in the past.
"My whole life, as a child in an immigrant household, I used to think I had to be grateful all the time because I watched my family, always grateful. Grateful for being let in, grateful for having work, even if underpaid, grateful for safety, even if it meant silence," she said in a video message last month.
"Always grateful, even when I feel tired, lonely or disrespected. At first, gratitude felt right because it was instilled in me from a young age; it was all I saw. But after a while, it starts to get really heavy. Gratitude became something that I was expected to wear like a uniform.
"Anytime I voiced frustration or sadness or wanted more, I could feel the invisible pressure. I am allowed to feel more than just thankful. I am a human being, and I am allowed to feel angry when I’m treated unfairly.
"I’m allowed to want better for myself and for my family. I’m allowed to speak up. I’m allowed to exist fully. Complex, emotional, hopeful, sometimes critical, just like anyone else.
WATCH HERE: Nadiya Hussain hits out at the BBC after having show cancelled
"So, gratitude has its place, but it shouldn’t be a muzzle, like a dog. We didn’t come here just to survive; we came here to live, to grow, to contribute, to belong, not as a guest, but as a person who has rights and dreams and dignity, just like everyone else.
"So no, I won’t always be grateful, and that doesn’t make me ungrateful; it makes me human. That’s what it does. So, I’ve gotten here through hard work, through determination, through talent, so no, I won’t be grateful. I got here because I’m good at what I do. Just something to think about."
GBNews.com has contacted Hussain's representatives for comment on the odds.
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