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The sacked MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace has opened a legal claim against the BBC over his dismissal, according to court records.
The data protection claim, which was filed in the high court last week, is understood to request the disclosure of confidential documents about his sacking.
Wallace was dropped by the BBC in July after an independent report by the law firm Lewis Silkin substantiated 45 allegations made against him, including claims of inappropriate sexual language and one incident of unwelcome physical contact.
MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK and the BBC said they had agreed that “Mr Wallace’s return to MasterChef is untenable”. Wallace apologised “for any distress caused”, but said the report cleared him of “the most serious and sensational accusations”.
Court records showed that a legal claim was filed last Friday on Wallace’s behalf against the BBC and BBC Studios with the case type listed as “data protection”. No further details or documents for the legal action are publicly available.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We have not been formally notified of any legal proceedings so at this stage we are unable to comment.”
The Lewis Silkin report noted that during the course of its seven-month investigation, Wallace was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and said that the findings should be viewed in the context of his neurodiversity.
In his July response to the investigation, Wallace suggested he was considering pursuing a disability claim against the BBC.
At the time he said: “A late autism diagnosis has helped me understand how I communicate and how I’m perceived. I’m still learning. Banijay have given me great support, and I thank them. But in the end, the BBC left me exposed to trial by media and the damage it leaves in its wake.”
He added he was considering his next move with “full legal support”.
Speaking to the Sun, which first reported the high court claim, a source said: “Gregg previously applied to see all the paperwork concerning him but was blocked by the BBC. This is why he’s had to go legal. This is the first, major step towards Gregg taking serious action.
“Gregg’s team believe that once they have the correspondence in front of them their case – and next steps – will become clear.”
The Lewis Silkin review also led to the sacking of Wallace’s former co-host, John Torode, who was the subject of an allegation of using racist language that was upheld.
Torode confirmed he was the subject of the allegation in July “for the sake of transparency”, but said he had “no recollection of the incident” and was “shocked and saddened” by the accusation.
The BBC confirmed the latest series of MasterChef, which was filmed last year before allegations against Wallace and Torode were upheld, would be broadcast, adding that it had “not been an easy decision in the circumstances”.
Two contestants have been edited out of the series, which was first broadcast last month.
