Former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace has revealed that his mother died of a heart attack a month ago.
The 60-year-old stepped down from his long-running role on the cookery franchise late last year following a series of claims against him alleging inappropriate behaviour in the workplace - most of which he has denied.
Speaking in his first major interview since the scandal broke, Wallace told the Daily Mail that he was heartbroken that his mother Mary Pettman, 80, died while his reputation was in question.
"She was always very proud of me," he said. "I'm her eldest and, of course, I was on the telly. I think it's terribly sad that in the last days of her life she was reading horrible things about me and witnessing my disgrace.
"Mum was a spiritualist. I was always sceptical but I'm really hoping she was right. I hope she's up there looking down and sees my recovery."
Wallace went on to recall his mother's reaction after the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, decided to speak out after Wallace's initial response to the accusations, in which he said that the complaints had come from "a handful of middle-class women of a certain age", calling the comments "completely inappropriate and misogynistic".
"Mum phoned and said, 'Love, what's going on? The Prime Minister's talking about you. Who have you upset? Why are they picking on you?'," he continued.
"I said, 'I've said something really stupid. They're investigating my behaviour, but more and more people are coming forward with complaints about me. Mum, they're not all true. I haven't done these things.'"
"She said, 'I don't believe you have.'"
The results of an investigation into some 13 allegations of misconduct are largely expected to find in Wallace's favour when they are published next month.
Neil Wilkes
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