Thousands of MasterChef viewers have called for the return of John Torode and Gregg Wallace after the BBC confirmed food critic Grace Dent and chef Anna Haugh as the programme’s new judges, prompting a wave of criticism on social media from those who said the show would not be the same without its long‑standing hosts.
The broadcaster announced this week that Dent and Haugh will take over judging duties on the civilian edition after Torode and Wallace were removed from future iterations of the series following independent investigations earlier this year. The decision drew a mixture of praise and protest online, with some viewers saying they would stop watching and others welcoming the appointments.
Under a social media post announcing the pair, many users urged the BBC to reinstate Torode and Wallace, who had presented MasterChef together for two decades. Comments included expressions of disappointment and calls for the original hosts to be brought back, while other responses praised Dent and Haugh and said they looked forward to the new line‑up.
The changes follow two separate controversies. In July the BBC said it would not renew Torode’s contract after an independent investigation found he had used "an extremely offensive racist term" at a post‑filming event; Torode has said he had no recollection of the incident and disputed that it occurred as alleged. Wallace was dismissed after an independent probe upheld more than 40 complaints against him, many alleging inappropriate sexual language and humour, with a smaller number of other allegations substantiated, including one instance of unwelcome physical contact.
The broadcaster and the programme’s makers have said they acted on the findings of the independent review. In a statement at the time, the BBC said it "takes this upheld finding extremely seriously" and that it would not tolerate racist language of any kind. Banijay UK, the production company behind MasterChef, was told action must be taken.
Social media reaction to this week’s appointment was split. Some viewers posted that the show had been "ruined" without Torode and Wallace and vowed to stop watching. Others posted support for the new judges, calling the pairing "promising" and describing Dent and Haugh as well qualified for the roles. A small number of posts criticised the BBC for airing the most recent series in full despite the ongoing fallout, calling the decision "tone‑deaf." Several viewers pointed to the timing of the broadcast and the extensive reshoots and edits that producers carried out to limit appearances by Torode and Wallace.
Audience figures for the most recent series showed a notable drop. Reports cited by media said the series’ launch attracted about 1.96 million viewers, down from roughly 2.73 million for the previous year’s debut. The BBC has not provided a public breakdown attributing the decline to any single factor, and viewing figures reflect a range of viewing habits across broadcast and streaming platforms.
Among the allegations that emerged during the investigations was a complaint by a former contestant who said she did not appear on the programme after complaining about Wallace’s behaviour. The contestant said she had felt "eyed up and ogled" and complained about comments she described as inappropriate. Wallace has said some of his actions were "perceived incorrectly" and has acknowledged aspects of his behaviour without accepting all findings. He has also spoken publicly about a recent autism diagnosis and argued that workplace culture and misunderstandings had played a part in how interactions were interpreted.
Grace Dent, 51, a critic and broadcaster who has appeared as a guest and competitor on MasterChef spin‑offs, said she was "over the moon" to be joining the MasterChef kitchen and praised Haugh’s experience. Anna Haugh, 44, an Irish chef who has been a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals and who previously stood in on the amateur edition, will join Dent as a permanent judge. Both have prior exposure to the franchise and to televised culinary judging.
The broadcaster and production company have said the programme will continue and that changes to the judging panel are intended to maintain the show’s future while upholding workplace standards. The BBC declined to comment beyond its earlier statements about the investigation findings and the actions taken.
As the next series approaches, the controversy surrounding the departures, the appointments and recent viewing figures is likely to shape public discussion of the long‑running format. Producers face the challenge of introducing a new judging partnership while addressing audience concerns about conduct and representation on and off screen.