BBC under pressure over harassment claims against star cooking presenter

The BBC faced pressure Monday to take one of its most popular and long-running shows, "MasterChef", off air following claims one of the programme's presenters engaged in sexually harassing behaviour.

Presenter Gregg Wallace has denied making "inappropriate" sexual jokes and comments after more than a dozen people came forward last week with allegations spanning a 17-year period. But he was forced into making a new apology on Monday for his remarks.

The furore is the latest scandal to hit the taxpayer-funded British broadcaster.

Another prime-time show, "Strictly Come Dancing", was thrown into crisis this year amid bullying accusations.

And former top news anchor, Huw Edwards, pleaded guilty in July to making indecent pictures of children, narrowly avoiding jail in a stunning fall from grace.

The production company behind "MasterChef", a decades-old show aired on the BBC whose branded format is now produced in more than 50 countries, has said it is probing the claims against Wallace.

It also announced that Wallace would stop presenting while it investigates, but that the current recorded season of "MasterChef: The Professionals" would continue to air.

The allegations against Wallace emerged from a BBC News investigation which also reported the broadcaster had warned the presenter after a complaint was made in 2018.

Wallace sparked a further backlash over the new claims when he said in a video posted Sunday that they had been made by "a handful of middle-class women of a certain age".

Wallace apologised Monday for "any offence that I caused" with those comments.

One of his accusers had said they showed he "clearly hasn't learnt his lesson".

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesman told reporters Wallace's comments were a "completely inappropriate and misogynistic" response to the "deeply concerning" claims.

The spokesman noted Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy held talks with BBC bosses last week "to seek assurances that there are robust processes in place to deal with complaints".

The broadcaster is conducting an independent review into workplace culture which Starmer's spokesman said "must deliver clear and timely recommendations".

Earlier Monday Labour MP Rupa Huq, a member of parliament's watchdog Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said the BBC should consider not airing the current season as well as upcoming Christmas episodes.

"I think possibly there is an argument for pausing while this investigation takes its course," Huq told BBC radio, adding the broadcaster "should send a strong signal [about] this sort of behaviour".

Wallace's lawyers have said "it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature".

A BBC spokesperson said it had "robust processes" to deal with complaints "swiftly and appropriately" and added it "will always listen if people want to make us aware of something directly".