Richard Osman has apologised for defending Gregg Wallace in the past before fresh  allegations emerged against him.

Reflecting on previous comments he made about the MasterChef presenter, 60, the comedian, 54, detailed why he ‘stuck up for him.’ 

Gregg is facing accusations of ‘wrong’ and inappropriate ‘sexualised’ behaviour from 13 people – which he denies – prompting an investigation by production company Banijay UK.   

In the latest episode of his ‘The Rest Is Entertainment’ podcast on Wednesday, Richard said: ‘If I can start with a Mea culpa, because a while ago we talked about him, because he had that boring “day in a life”, and I stuck up for him because I think being boring is fine.’ 

‘Also, I did ask around, and any show he’s ever been on that I’ve been involved with, everyone had nice things to say about him. So I was like, oh no, absolutely, it’s fine.’

Earlier this year, Gregg was featured in an article by the Daily Telegraph where he revealed he fills his schedule with a ‘no sweat’ workout and hours of video games, which led to him being mocked online. 

Richard Osman has apologised for defending Gregg Wallace in the past before allegations emerged against him (pictured in September)

Gregg is facing accusations of ‘wrong’ and inappropriate ‘sexualised’ behaviour from 13 people – which he denies – prompting an investigation by production company Banijay UK

Richard has now insisted he ‘hadn’t heard stuff’ at the time and added: ‘You think, God, you must always be so careful. I did think, oh, he’s just a big personality, and I hadn’t heard stuff.

‘But now, listen, I definitively understand, I have heard stuff. I apologise for that.’ 

Shamed MasterChef presenter Gregg is facing fresh allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour after stepping down from hosting the hit BBC cooking show last week.

The former greengrocer announced he was stepping back from the show after nearly 20 years on Thursday while an investigation into his alleged misconduct is carried out.

Gregg last week faced accusations of inappropriate behaviour from 13 people, including Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark, over a 17-year period across five shows from 2005 to 2022.

Addressing those allegations, his lawyers said ‘it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature’. 

However, three more women have now come forward to tell BBC News about their experiences with him. 

The latest allegations include one woman who said Gregg groped her, another who claims he pressed his crotch against her while filming BBC show Eat Well For Less and a third who alleged he flashed her in his dressing room.

Reflecting on previous comments he made about the MasterChef presenter, 60, the comedian, 54, detailed why he ‘stuck up for him’ and said he ‘hadn’t heard stuff’ at the time

The former greengrocer announced he was stepping back from the show after nearly 20 years on Thursday while an investigation into his alleged misconduct is carried out 

BBC News say they put the latest claims to Gregg on Saturday, but he has not responded. MailOnline has also contacted his representatives, MasterChef producer Banijay UK and the BBC.

It comes as under-fire BBC bosses said MasterChef Christmas specials would be pulled in a major U-turn, having previously said it would continue airing all filmed episodes.

Among those to come forward with fresh allegations is Lisa, not her real name, who worked on BBC show Eat Well for Less in 2015. She told the BBC Wallace ‘touched her inappropriately’ when they were filming in a supermarket. 

‘He brushed past me at the checkout, and touched my bum with his waist and penis and laughed and said ‘oooh you liked that didn’t you’,’ she alleged.

‘It was the way he reacted, other people would’ve said ‘oh I’m sorry can I squeeze by’ which would’ve been ok.’

Lisa also claims that she felt she had to continue working but was ‘not ok about it’, describing it as ‘slimy and disgusting’. She claims she raised it with a senior colleague but that nothing was ever done.

Banijay say they have no record of this incident being raised at RDF Television, which produced Eat Well For Less.