‘Masterchef’ Star John Torode Was ‘Told Off’ By BBC Bosses After He Claimed He Wasn’t Friends With Fellow Judge Gregg Wallace

Gregg Wallace has revealed that his fellow ‘Masterchef’ judge John Torode was “told off” by BBC bosses after he claimed the pair weren’t friends.

Last month, the TV chef admitted that when the cameras stop rolling on the BBC cooking competition, he avoids Gregg, even if they’re in the same pub.

John told The Mirror: “It’s funny, we’ve never been friends. We’ve not been to each other’s houses.

Gregg has now revealed that his co-host got a slapped wrist from BBC bosses, who told him to be more “careful” in how he words things in future.

Gregg told the Sunday Post: “John and I had a laugh about it and started putting pictures of ourselves on Twitter.

“But he got told off a bit by the BBC and by the commissioner and the executive saying he should have handled it a bit more carefully.”

The ‘Masterchef’ star added that the pair, who have worked on the show together for 12 years, are indeed friends.

“I think what he was trying to say was that we’re not friends in the typical sense,” Gregg explained. “But it came out that we’re not friends, and that simply isn’t true.”

John has also backpedaled considerably since his original comments made headlines, insisting he has a “solid” friendship with Gregg.

He told The Sun: “I think you can count your friends on one hand – if you are in a hitch and need help, you pull out your phone and think: ‘I really need a hand right now’ and Gregg is one of those people I can call.

“It’s important to have that. We don’t hang out with each other all the time but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a great, solid friendship.

“I can see the hairs in his ears. I can smell his breath. You can’t have that sort of on-screen relationship without having a proper, true relationship.”