Masterchef- Wallace and Torode Gone!

Quantum Erasure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123641847#Comment_123641847

That's probably what it was...

Penn

Just saw a clip from The Rest Is Entertainment with Richard Osman & Marina Hyde, and Osman said that the word Torode was accused of using is "probably the worst racial slur there is", and that the production company and the BBC seem to be satisfied they have enough evidence that it happened to back it up in the event Torode sued them.

So perhaps not as much a case of Torode being dragged down with Wallace for something small. Though they obviously kept working with him for a decent period of time after the incident too, and it's likely that without what happened with Wallace they may have let it go with a warning or something.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123644571#Comment_123644571

Yeah read that too- again I go back to what I said earlier in the thread - you’re either a person who says the “n” word or you’re not - I would never apologise, simply because I know that since my teenage years I’ve never used it.
The fact he apologised for something he “doesn’t remember” means he more likely than not, did say that word - if it’s not a word ever in his vocabulary, why the apology? I would have simply stood my ground

2smiggy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123644571#Comment_123644571

not too sure how they can back any thing up when they don't even know what year it happened. Are they just going on the words of one or two people who said they heard it 6,7 or 8 years ago ? Seems flimsy to me. Also why wait so long if it's "probably the worst racial slur there is". That does not reflect well on any parties involved.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123645180#Comment_123645180

I think similarly to Wallace, a lot of these things might have been reported and investigated at the time, and it's only because of what happened with Wallace that a full overview of all incidents over the years has been reviewed.

But if you have a few people who all give the same rough accounting of what happened (eg. "We were in XXXX place, these few people were there, we were talking about whatever, this is what he said, this is what happened next), then it's fair enough to consider it accurate. It seems more like they just haven't provided enough of the information to Torode that he doesn't know when and where he's supposed to have said it. Maybe that's because they're trying to protect the people who came forward about it, I don't know. It certainly would be unfair that he's not given enough info to actually try and give his side of the story.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123645248#Comment_123645248

Context matters also and could have a role to play (for example, quoting what someone else said) -or a misheard word- or it’s just simply not true.

Looking from afar, I personally think it was more likely he said it, than not- simply because of his response - but I wouldn’t sack him purely on that basis- I’d need to see the detail of the complaint made - and given the passage of time, I just don’t think it fair at this point to do that- hearsay 7 or so years later? Nah, I don’t agree sacking was the correct course of action

NIMAN

Couldn't happen to 2 nicer fellas.

Water John

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123644571#Comment_123644571

Richard also made the point that Torode was offered a way out. to simply drop out of the show for a season and undertake some training on such matters. He opted not to.

TheRiverman

Always preferred The Professionals edition of it with Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti.

Manach

In Torode's case, as it seems to be the one instance, it seems to be the hyersentitivty of an establishment insitution which has no set standards beyond don't utter any of the proscribed shibboths.

Water John

It really shouldn't enter anyone's head to use the N word and if perchance one did, an immediate apology might be in order.

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123646059#Comment_123646059

When Gerry Adams used the word he apologised and that was that.

Depends how Torode said the word, did he mean it in an offensive way or was he just clumsy telling a story or something like that. If he is pretending not to remember that is not helping, he would be better off just honestly stating what happened.

Larbre34

The BBC didn't sack Clarkson for it, in an 'eenie meeney miny moe' context, so Torode has a precedent there.

Its pretty obvious he's being got rid of in a jobs lot, and I hope he takes the Beeb to the cleaners.

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123646123#Comment_123646123

They could not sack Clarkson because they chose to broadcast his racist comments more than once. Those shows were not live.

squonk

I still think it sounds like an isolated incident and that he’s being used by the BBC as a scapegoat to make them look whiter than white now. Totide did apologise once it was mentioned. Personally I’m not going to hold every utterance ever of every person I have contact with against them if it’s suffering less than ideal. Tge so called out he was given was a loaded dice anyway. That sounds like being sacked by the back door. “Oh John take a year off and do that course. After that slap on the wrist of course we’ll welcome you back to MC.” They will in their eye. A year down the line a new duo will have needed in and suddenly one of the old pair doesn’t d look so attractive anymore. Also who of the new duo gets fired to make way for him or who would want the job knowing it was a babysitting exercise. The simple answer is that it wasn’t a real slap on the wrist, just an even slimier way of getting rid of him by making it his choice. He was right to call that for the BS it is.

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123646144#Comment_123646144

It wasn't a racist comment, it was an archaic rhyme used in an absent-minded context.

A racist comment is a slur used to or about someone or someones, used with malice or casualness.

I wonder was the Torode thing the same.

NIMAN

Im no fan of either of these 2 guys, but if I understand, he made the comment several years ago?

And if so, why has someone found it offensive now and reported it? Surely it was offensive the minute he said it?

Quantum Erasure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123646428#Comment_123646428

DailyMail on Twitter:

BBC sacked MasterChef host John Torode after 'using N-word twice while singing along to Kanye West song during after work drinks'

The host, 59, was reportedly singing the rapper's hit Gold Digger when he was allegedly 'caught using the racist term during after work drinks six or seven years ago'.

Ah.... Come on like

Quantum Erasure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123644571#Comment_123644571

Osman said that the word Torode was accused of using is "probably the worst racial slur there is"

He'd say that but he wouldn't provide any context? I like the guy but the more I hear from him, the harder it is not to re-evaluate

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123647563#Comment_123647563

Hard to believe that could be true. It would not be reasonable to punish him for that.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123647563#Comment_123647563

Article below claiming he only knew the “radio” version of the song - also an allegation that he used the “n” word when speaking with a work colleague but that it was in context of something and that the colleague took no offence

This is just getting farcical - something that may or may not have happened or more likely was totally misinterpreted 7 years ago and he gets the sack and attempted cancellation

I’ve little pity for Wallace but jezuz, this is just pathetic

https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/john-torode-fired-masterchef-drinks-kanye-west-gold-digger-b1238831.html

Apple Dumpling

Osman would have had a very senior position as creative TV director in Endemol the production company making MasterChef at the time this was reported to happened.

He is hardly a neutral and independent voice on the matter.

NIMAN

Is the N word actually in the lyrics of the song?

If so, then surely its harsh to punish someone so much for singing the actual words of a song?

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123649204#Comment_123649204

I ain't saying she a golddigger

But she aint messing with no broke n.......what rhymes with digger?

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123649204#Comment_123649204

Apparently there’s a “radio” version of the song without the offending word

Cienciano

How the hell did Greg Wallace ever get on the show? A "greengrocer" decided the faith of these amazing chefs?

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123649602#Comment_123649602

Theres radio versions of hundreds, if not thousands, of songs.

But maybe he had the Kanye CD at home, and was singing along to the song who had often sung along to at home?

Its not like he killed anyone.

Quantum Erasure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123649602#Comment_123649602

I remember when the song first came out and was played on the radio the whole time, it wasn't the 'radio version' we were hearing

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123649731#Comment_123649731

Yeah, if this is actually what happened then he did nothing wrong. The song was not banned at the time.

Champagne Sally

I've watched Masterchef's from several countries and obviously started with the British Masterchef, which I loved but honestly once you watch Masterchef Australia all the others pale in comparison to it. It's just brilliant - especially when it was presented by the Late Jock Zonfrillo (who tragically passed away a couple of years ago at a young age). That show is amazing, it's shown on UW I think and if you haven't watched it yet you should. They also have the series on Prime Video.

After Jock's untimely death they now have new presenters - Jean-Christophe Novelli who is hilarious and Sophia Levin and Poh who was a former well known contestant and kept Andy Allen who presented with Jock.

I've always thought Wallace a pain in the h*** and his leering grin at contestants used to turn my stomach, so no loss there really, but Tirode was ok.