December 2nd 2024.
Gregg Wallace, a familiar face on television, has recently been accused of inappropriate behavior towards women. As I sit in a London photo studio with him, I can't help but feel uncomfortable under his intense glare. I can't remember exactly what he said, but I do know that it wasn't funny. It was a sexist remark disguised as a joke, and even as someone who usually laughs easily, I couldn't find it within myself to laugh at this one.
At one point, he even turned to a senior member of the team and asked them to make me laugh, as if it was their job to entertain me. It was clear that he was trying to assert his power and make it known that he was in charge. This all took place back in 2013, when I was just a junior writer at a magazine. We were shooting Wallace for our cover, and it was my first time working with a celebrity. I was excited, but the day turned out to be deeply uncomfortable.
Aside from the sexist remarks, I also learned that Wallace had refused to wear underwear during the shoot, which made us all feel even more uneasy. I didn't think much about that day afterwards, except when people asked me about the worst celebrity I had encountered in my career as a journalist. But as more allegations against Wallace surface, I can't help but reflect on that shoot as a disturbing incident that should not have happened.
It's been reported that 13 people who have worked with Wallace over the years have accused him of making inappropriate sexual comments, and there have been allegations of him groping three women on and off set. Since sharing my memories of him on social media, I have been inundated with messages from other journalists who have also had uncomfortable encounters with him.
Looking back, I realize that there were other incidents that day that made me feel uncomfortable, such as his overfamiliarity with the women on set. But those are not my stories to tell. What I can say is that the BBC News investigation into Wallace's behavior only confirms what I and others have experienced.
It's only now, in light of these allegations, that I am starting to see that day as more than just a celebrity anecdote. It was a vile incident that should not have been tolerated. But back then, in 2013, we lived in a culture of "put up and shut up." If something made you feel uncomfortable, you were expected to just laugh it off and not make a fuss.
As someone with power and celebrity status, Wallace's inappropriate behavior was allowed to continue unchecked. And even if a few people did speak up, nothing seemed to be done about it. We all just tried to avoid him and then sat around afterwards, talking about how disgusting he was. I don't blame any of us for not speaking out, as it was ingrained in us to brush off this kind of behavior as something to be tolerated.
But times have changed. It has been illegal since 2003 to touch someone sexually without their consent, and groping is considered a serious crime. Yet, there was still a general attitude that this kind of behavior was just a part of life. And on top of that, he was a celebrity with power, making it even more difficult for anyone to speak up.
Wallace has since denied the allegations made against him, and even went on Instagram to dismiss them as coming from "middle-class women of a certain age." He also pointed out that in his 20 years of working on Masterchef and other shows, no one has ever complained about him. But just because there are no official complaints, it doesn't mean that his behavior was acceptable.
It's clear to me that Wallace fails to understand why so many women have not made complaints against him. And the fact that he has worked with thousands of people without any complaints does not excuse his behavior. As women, we are often conditioned to just brush off this kind of behavior, to develop a thick skin and pretend that it's normal. But it's not. And it's not just up to those who experience harassment or abuse to call it out, but also those who witness it.
We need to create a culture where complaints are taken seriously and appropriate action is taken. It's not enough to just brush it under the rug and let it continue. As someone who was there and witnessed his behavior, I can't help but feel guilty for not speaking up. But I was conditioned by society to believe that it was "no big deal." It's time for a change. It's time to speak up and hold those in power accountable for their actions. Because what Wallace did was not a joke. It was humiliating and unacceptable. And it's time for that to be recognized.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
