John Torode has thrown his help behind his former co-star Grace Dent, who’s the brand new presenter of MasterChef. The meals critic, 52, will entrance the BBC cooking programme with chef Anna Haugh following the departures of Torode and Gregg Wallace.  The 61-year-old was sacked from the present after an unbiased inquiry upheld 45 out of 83 misconduct allegations in opposition to him. Torode was dropped shortly after, following accusations he used an “extraordinarily offensive racist time period” on set.

Torode, 60, spoke warmly of Dent regardless of his exit, admitting it had been a “privilege” to work alongside her. In a brand new Subtack put up, he wrote: “Grace Dent: What a robust extraordinary girl. Grace stands up for all that she believes in and helps. Sleek and by no means fearful of doing the proper factor or anxious that the cult would possibly too ostracise her. It was a privilege to face by her facet. Her help unfailing.”

Dent had the identical opinion of Torode when it was introduced she could be taking up internet hosting duties, nevertheless, she did take a veiled swipe on the present’s former male-dominated forged.

“MasterChef was a really male place for the entire time I used to be there — utter male vitality on a regular basis,” she informed The Sunday Instances. “To be there now with a girl by my facet, it’s incredible.”

Dent continued: “That’s to not say she didn’t take pleasure in being within the firm of John and Gregg. I completely adore John Torode.”

She described her former co-star as one of many “kindest, most involved, intelligent, considerate males” that she is aware of, including: ““Gregg was at all times a really, very huge character.”

Torode was formally axed from MasterChef in July 2025. In an Instagram assertion, the TV chef stated he had “no recollection” of what he’s accused of, which reportedly occurred between 2018 and 2019.

The “severe racist time period” was reportedly so extreme that Tim Davie, BBC‘s Director Normal on the time, stated he was not ready to repeat it. The Telegraph claimed Torode was the topic of a number of allegations, however just one was substantiated.

In December, the presenter stated he was in remedy for “grief” after being sacked. In his Substack publication, A View from the Fridge, Torode stated remedy has entitled him to be “actual”, explaining that months of soul-searching helped him take care of his new actuality.

He wrote: “Concern is the intuition that retains us alive, however ought to grief and worry meet one another, I ponder how a lot harm it may possibly do after we determine to close it away, shut it down and never let it circulate because it ought to.”

After heading on a solo journey to Qatar with out his spouse Lisa Faulkner, Torode stated it was “the primary time I’ve sat in my grief”.

He added: “Being away from Lisa has meant dealing with my grief alone and it has been cathartic however at occasions actually powerful. This week I can proudly say that I’ve allowed the true harm and unhappiness to circulate by way of me with out resistance.”