BBC MasterChef winner breaks silence on John Torode's true colours

MasterChef returned this week with the launch of the new series with sacked presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode fronting the programme. The BBC decided to still show this year's amateur series, saying it was "the right thing to do" for the chefs who took part. Thomasina Miers, who won the 2005 reboot of the BBC show, has opened up about the former host in a candid new interview.Torode, 60, was sacked from the show last month, which he co-presented with Wallace, 60, for two decades. His dismissal comes after a review into Wallace's conduct. An independent investigation, conducted by the lawyers Lewis Silkin, upheld 45 allegations against Wallace - who was also axed by the BBC - of inappropriate behaviour. The upheld complaint against Torode related to a severely offensive racist term allegedly used on the set of MasterChef in 2018. The presenter said he had "no recollection" of it and that any racist language is "wholly unacceptable".

Ms Miers, who took part in the show as an amateur chef, has since gone on to become a writer, restaurateur and TV presenter. Speaking about the recent scandal, she admittedly feels "awful" for Torode. There were nine complaints lodged against him in total, but only the use of a racial slur was upheld against him.

Speaking to the podcast Spooning with Mark Wogan, the former MasterChef winner addressed Torode's true colours.

Ms Miers said: "John was incredibly nurturing and supportive. The idea of John being racist frankly is so ludicrous."

She went on: "I felt awful for John. I mean, and also the elegance of his response to it, how he conducted himself, I think, 'Yeah.'

"I was kind of gobsmacked by [the allegations against] John, who was so caring and intent on the people under his watch, under his care. I think he felt that - that they were under his care.

"He could see that people were giving up time and energy, not paying the rent, to do the show... He really, really watched out for us."

The BBC had faced calls not to show the new series but announced last month after "careful consideration" the show would go ahead.

Ms Miers said she didn't understand why they wouldn't show the new series.

She commented: "I just don't get the purpose. I don't understand the mentality that you can hurt a viewer.. You know, I think we are adults in this world."

"Either don't watch the show if you don't want to see them, or realise that the show isn't really about them, it's about the people who are contesting," she added.

Addressing the allegations against Wallace, she said: "Gregg was full of smutty jokes... I definitely wasn't his type."

Miers secured victory in the first series of the revamped MasterChef two decades ago, subsequently establishing the Mexican street food chain Wahaca, which now operates 14 locations throughout the UK.

The broadcaster confirmed neither presenter will return to future series.