Showbiz 5: From accusations to daytime changes

Penelope Teeth casts her views over recent Entertainment news…

It’s been another bad week for the home of the deviants, no not prison, the BBC. This time its Gregg Wallace in the spotlight, a man who has far to many ‘Gs’ in his first name. The MasterChef presenter, who makes us pine for Lloyd Grossman, has said accusations about him making sexual comments towards staff and guests have come from “middle-class women of a certain age” reported RTÉ News.

Wallace, aged 60, addressed the allegations made against him – going back years – through a video shared on Instagram.

“I’ve been doing MasterChef for 20 years, amateur, celebrity and professional MasterChef, and I think, in that time, I have worked with over 4,000 contestants of all different ages, all different backgrounds, all walks of life, apparently now, I’m reading in the paper, there’s been 13 complaints in that time.”

“I can see the complaints coming from a handful of middle-class women of a certain age, just from Celebrity MasterChef. This isn’t right. In 20 years, over 20 years of television, can you imagine how many women, female contestants on MasterChef, have made sexual remarks, or sexual innuendo? Can you imagine?”

I think the point Greg(g) sweetie is there shouldn’t be ANY complaints, let alone 13! The Beeb reportedly knew in 2017 about some of the concerns about the host who also had to quit another BBC series due to ‘inapt antics’.

Amid the departure of This Morning editor Martin ‘hates Aubergines’ Frizzel former Friday host Ruth Langsford hasn’t ruled out returning to the scandal-hit magazine show. Langsford was the longest surviving host of the ITV Daytime offering before being ditched for Alison Hammond.

The Sun report that when asked about a potential return to the blue sofa she said, “Never say never.”

For nearly fifteen years Ruth, alongside former husband Eamonn Holmes, fronted the Friday This Morning but both were ditched two years ago without any reason given. GB News Breakfast host Holmes has been vocal on his annoyance at the changes while Ruth remains a principal presenter on ITV’s Loose Women, so has maintained a significantly lower profile when asked about her This Morning chop.

Currently, with ever falling ratings, the show is overseen by Cat Deeley and Ben Shepherd Monday to Thursday with Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammon overseeing the final edition of the week.

“This really is the end of an era for daytime telly; huge changes are afoot.” an insider at TV Centre told the tabloid newspaper. This Morning is a well-known household brand, like Dulcolax and Domestos. However, its high rating days are long gone with the show currently being thrashed by BBC One which gets more than double the viewers.

Sean Wilson spoke to The Sun about how his Coronation Street ‘comeback’ for the departure of co-star Helen Worth was destroyed by an unfounded historical sex claim. Wilson who played nurse Martin Platt was suddenly dropped earlier this year after returning to the ITV Granada studios in Salford as part of ex-wife Gail’s farewell plot.

Now the 59-year-old actor has spoken to the paper, which brought the news to the nation in the summer, about it all being a terrible lie. Sean was cleared by police ten days ago; however, ITV dropped the actor as soon as they were made aware of the allegations – that supposedly took place in 1997 – not risking having to pull yet-to-air episodes for Gail’s goodbye. John Thomson was drafted in to replace Sean in the storyline.

“My reputation was ruined in just eight minutes — my whole world blown apart.” Wilson told the tabloid, adding, “I had no idea who had made this complaint or anything about it but I lost my job. It’s been hell. I’ve been low all the way through.”

“I was suddenly confronted with three executives who said they had received an allegation that I had put my hands up a woman’s skirt. They also said police had contacted them and told them they had referred the case to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). I was in bewilderment. They said they had to cut the contract and protect their cast. I told them I knew it hadn’t happened and I deserved a chance to convince them. But they said once it had become a police matter they couldn’t do anything.”

The person making the claim was described as a ‘female with links to Coronation Street’ but no further details were given. Gail’s final scenes will air on ITV1 and STV this December.

A Strictly Come Dancing spokesperson has revealed there will be a change to the forthcoming festive offering due to a professional dancer having to withdraw.

“Unfortunately, professional dancer, Carlos Gu, has sustained an ankle injury so is unable to participate in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special alongside contestant Vogue Williams. Fellow professional dancer, Gorka Márquez will be stepping in for him and dancing with Vogue. We all wish him a speedy recovery” – BBC Spokesperson

The celebrities taking part this year are Josh Widdicombe who is to perform with Karen Hauer, Tayce – a Drag artist, model and presenter – will hit the ballroom with Kai Widdrington and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey will attempt to impress the judges with Nancy Xu.

Also appearing is Tamzin Outhwaite who is partnered with Nikita Kuzmin, Billy Monger will perform with Nadiya Bychkova and as revealed by the Beeb this week Carlus Gu will be replaced by Gorka Márquez to partner with Vogue Williams.

Esther Rantzen’s daughter told LBC her mother is ‘over the moon’ after MPs backed legalising assisted dying in a historic Commons vote. The That’s Life! pioneer earlier this week said she’d haunt MPs who voted against making assisted death legal.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain she said prior to the vote: “I will go to Dignitas in Zurich for an assisted death which I hope will be quick and kind and merciful and easy. And then, I shall come back and haunt the members of Parliament that haven’t changed our law yet.” 

But following the groundbreaking first positive steps to ease the painful end for the terminally ill Esther’s daughter spoke to LBC noting her mother was ‘over the mood’ with the progress made.

“I am relieved to tell you she has finally had a welcome break from the telly having sat though five hours she is over the moon, she is delighted. She has so much respect for our parliament, our democracy. She is so grateful to Kim [Leadbeater] – who she calls outstanding Kim. And Sir Keir who promised her all those many weeks and months ago this vote would come.

“She feels she now has to stay alive for the next one and I damn hope she does! The stories that came out today in the room were astonishingly appalling. There was so much heartfelt agony on both sides. Clearly a lot of trauma… So many people filled those benches on a Friday. It was a packed room, everyone had an experience, a loved one that they wish had had a better end. There was a lot of a heart in that room, and therefore a lot of respect.”

LBC report that MPs took the historic step of voting in favour of the bill on Friday afternoon with MPs voting 330 to 275, majority 55, to approve it at second reading.

‘That’s Esther’ /Esther Rantzen / LWT

The views expressed are of Penelope Teeth and not ATV Today.