MasterChef Australia's Ben Ungermann has said that he is "much stronger than people think" following the recent charges against him.
The 34-year-old was dropped from the most recent season of the show, Back To Win, partway through filming after a 16-year-old girl alleged that he had been sexually inappropriate with her.
Ungermann has denied the charges against him and in a statement through his lawyer said that he was "distressed" by the accusations.
Taking to Instagram on Thursday, the chef posted a picture of him swimming alongside the caption: "The ocean is a place I find soothing for quiet contemplation.
"In the last few months people have had a lot to say about me without knowing me or my circumstances.
"But if I have learnt anything about myself in recent months, is that I am much stronger than people think.
"I know my self-worth and I know the person I am and I'm looking forward to a change of scenery."
Ungermann was quietly axed from MasterChef during the most recent season, with one of the judges explaining that he had left for a "personal matter".
Neil Wilkes
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