GREGG WALLACE HITS BACK AT CAMEO VIDEO MESSAGE CRITICISM

Gregg Wallace has hit back at criticism over £37 personalised Cameo video messages, saying he needed to "earn money" after losing his job. Sharing a photograph of himself on Instagram, he wrote: "Cameo Messages - yes, I earned money from them and they really did help us out when I lost my job. But I genuinely love doing them and I take great pride in them. You can see that from my five star reviews." He said the income had supported him during a period of financial difficulty. One fan responded, saying they were "really really happy" with a message he had recorded for their son's 40th birthday.

Wallace presented MasterChef for two decades before stepping down from the programme last year, following multiple allegations of misconduct exposed by BBC News. An investigation into his conduct on the show substantiated more than 40 complaints, including one instance of unwelcome physical contact and three occasions on which he was inappropriately undressed. A second Instagram user asked beneath his post whether he would present "a special Christmas cooking show" in future. Wallace turned to Cameo, a platform on which users pay celebrities for personalised video messages.

Wallace has also confirmed he has reopened legal action against the BBC, having previously dropped a claim against the corporation at the start of the year. He had been pursuing damages of up to £10,000, alleging that the broadcaster caused him "distress and harassment" by failing to respond to a request for his personal data. Court documents confirmed the claim against the BBC and BBC Studios had been "discontinued," with Wallace receiving no compensation or costs. He has not detailed the basis for reopening the case.