The new series of MasterChef is reportedly "on ice" as the BBC's investigation into allegations against Gregg Wallace continues.
The 60-year-old stepped back from the cooking franchise last November after multiple women came forward to claim that he had engaged in inappropriate behaviour and made unsavoury comments on set.
Wallace has vehemently denied all of the accusations against him and believes that an ongoing probe by lawyers at Lewis Silkin will find in his favour.
The 2025 edition of the main MasterChef show was filmed at the end of last year, with Anna Haugh stepping in for Wallace alongside John Torode for the final few episodes as the allegations broke.
The BBC had considered trying to edit out Wallace entirely from the new series, but according to the Daily Mail, it proved impractical and the show is now sitting on the shelf pending the results of the investigation.
The lawyers are speaking to contestants and crew - and will also talk to Wallace himself - before reporting back to production company Banijay and the BBC, although the timeframe for the conclusion remains unclear.
The new series of MasterChef typically begins on BBC One in March or April each year, running for 24 episodes over the course of eight weeks.
Meanwhile, the new series of Celebrity MasterChef began filming last month, with food critic Grace Dent replacing Wallace alongside Torode.
Neil Wilkes
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