2 weeks Ago By James Brinsford,John O'Sullivan
Former TV personality Gregg Wallace has pointed the finger at ready meals as the source of Britain's worsening obesity epidemic - a problem also gripping the United States, as seen in this revealing map - an interesting stance considering he recently debuted his own line of convenience cuisine. The ex-MasterChef judge stepped away from his iconic role in November 2024 amidst controversial allegations, which were subsequently investigated by both the BBC and Banijay UK; allegations that Gregg's legal team has staunchly refuted, particularly those pertaining to sexual harassment. Now, diving into the debate on diet, Gregg has ruffled some feathers by discussing the nutritional shortcomings of ready meals - contrasting with a 'heart friendly' juice that can lower cholesterol - on his personal blog, with his opinion coming just weeks after scientists discovered a way to easily burn calories using the body's own fat cells.
Scientists trial experimental pill as convenient alternative to Ozempic injection Simple two-step test at home to check if you're overweight and your health is at risk In his blog post, Gregg muses: "We live now in an age where food is available to us 24 hours of the day. Now some may say this is a good thing, it's progress." Gregg continues to question the status quo: "Some could well argue that being able to phone for your meals or grab a ready-made meal that just needs to be microwaved or even grabbing for a sandwich, is a positive thing.
" He then zeroes in on the crux of the issue: "The obvious problem with this is, the rise of the snack and the takeaway culture has gone hand in hand with the rise of obesity and record numbers of type two diabetes." This is a curious move given his recent foray into launching his brand of premium frozen dinners priced from $10 each. Wallace's criticism comes despite promoting his personal brand of prepared foods, launched in January, as: "Delicious, Nutritious Ready Meals that taste so good you might not believe they're healthy!" "Kick start your New Year's resolution with delicious, healthy and filling meals.
Note: We don't currently deliver to the Scottish Highlands, Channel Islands, or Northern Ireland." One of the meals on offer is a curry, described by Gregg as: "Experience a flavourful and satisfying meal with our homemade frozen Chicken and Mushroom Curry. Made with spicy chicken and savoury mushrooms, this 500g ready meal also includes nutritious brown rice.
Perfect for a quick and delicious dinner option." However, Gregg's culinary ventures have been overshadowed by controversy. In October, the Eat Well for Less star faced allegations of gross misconduct, including making inappropriate sexual comments and engaging in bullying behaviour, leading him to step down from MasterChef while the BBC investigated.
The following month, it was announced that he would be replaced on the Celebrity MasterChef judging panel by renowned restaurant critic Grace Dent, who will join John Torode. This decision came after serious allegations from Penny Lancaster, who claimed to be a "victim of bullying and harassment" by Wallace. Gregg's response to the complaints has been widely criticised, as he dismissed them as coming from "a handful of middle-class women of a certain age.
" His comments were condemned by public figures, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who deemed them inappropriate and misogynistic. Separately, Gregg's lawyers' previous remarks, cited by BBC News, stated "it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature"..
