Grace Dent has admitted she was already “drunk on power” when discussing replacing Gregg Wallace on MasterChef. The 51-year-old will be hosting the BBC competition alongside John Torode after Wallace stepped back from co-presenting duties last year.
The BBC confirmed Grace’s appointment last month as David Ambler, the executive editor of MasterChef, said she would be a “great asset” for the programme.
Speaking to Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard on This Morning on Monday, Grace has confessed it was a “dream come true” to be asked to fill the former greengrocer’s shoes.
“It’s one of those wonderful shows on British TV, and when you go out into the public, you feel that you can’t eat anywhere in privacy ever again, you can’t even go into a supermarket without people looking into your trolley and going, ‘I can’t believe she’s bought that.’
“But, it was a dream come true to move to this role.”
What’s more, she added: “I am absolutely over the moon! Honestly, I am already drunk on power!”
Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC, said: “Grace Dent is the perfect choice to step in for the next series of ‘Celebrity MasterChef’.
“Grace is not only an energetic and well-established member of the ‘MasterChef’ team but is also a world-renowned food critic, so she will certainly keep the next batch of celebrities on their toes.”
Gregg stepped down from his role amid allegations of inappropriate sexual comments and inappropriate behaviour – which he profusely denies – following “13 complaints” from “over 4,000 contestants” in the 20 years he has worked on all forms of the show.
Among those accusing Wallace of inappropriate behaviour is former ‘Newsnight’ presenter Kirsty Wark, who took part in ‘Celebrity MasterChef’ in 2011.
The 69-year-old broadcaster told the BBC: “There were two occasions in particular where he used sexualised language in front of a number of people and it wasn’t as if anyone engaged with this.
“It was completely one-way traffic. But I think people were uncomfortable, and [it was] something that I really did not expect to happen.”
Express Online have previously contacted Gregg Wallace’s representatives for comment.
