Head of BBC addresses future of MasterChef

The caput of the BBC says MasterChef tin past arsenic it is "much bigger than individuals" - but the corp indispensable "make definite we're successful the close spot successful presumption of the civilization of the show".

Director-general Tim Davie said helium "absolutely" thinks the fashionable cooking contention has a future, with the production's existent woody with the corp acceptable to tally retired successful 2028, and praised it arsenic "a large programme that's loved by audiences".

His comments came conscionable hours earlier MasterChef presenter John Torode was sacked aft an allegation helium utilized an "extremely violative racist term".

His co-host Gregg Wallace was also sacked past week aft claims of inappropriate behaviour.

Speaking arsenic the BBC unveiled its yearly report, and pursuing a bid of caller controversies, Mr Davie said the corporation's enactment squad volition not "tolerate behaviour that is not successful enactment with our values", and confirmed "senior individuals and radical progressive successful these cases are being held to account".

On Monday, it was revealed an independent reappraisal into "inappropriate behaviour" by Wallace had upheld much than fractional of the allegations against him.

In response, Wallace said helium was "deeply sorry" and ne'er acceptable retired to "harm oregon humiliate".

A fewer hours aft the Wallace study was published, Torode said an allegation helium utilized "racial language" was upheld successful the study but insisted helium had "no recollection" of the alleged incidental and "did not judge that it happened".

Mr Davie said the BBC's enactment squad would not "tolerate behaviour that is not successful enactment with our values," portion BBC seat Samir Shah acknowledged determination were inactive pockets wrong the corp wherever "powerful individuals" tin inactive "make beingness for their colleagues unbearable".

They said respective BBC unit members had been dismissed successful the past 3 months pursuing an autarkic reappraisal into workplace culture.

The reappraisal recovered the corp did not person a toxic civilization but determination was a minority of radical who behaved unacceptably and whose behaviour was not addressed.

Wallace is not included successful that number arsenic helium was not straight contracted by the corporation, but was employed by autarkic accumulation institution Banijay.

The BBC has yet to determine if the unseen MasterChef bid - filmed with some Wallace and Torode past twelvemonth - volition beryllium aired oregon not.

'We volition marque mistakes'

News of the findings successful the Gregg Wallace study came connected the aforesaid time it was revealed the BBC was deemed to person breached its editorial guidelines implicit a Gaza documentary that was narrated by the kid of a Hamas official.

Media watchdog Ofcom subsequently launched its ain probe into Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone, which was removed from BBC iPlayer successful February.

While the 2024-25 yearly study showed a tiny emergence successful spot wide for the corporation, Mr Davie said it had been a twelvemonth which saw the estimation of the BBC damaged by "serious failings" successful the making of the documentary.

He said it was important that the BBC "took afloat work for those failings and apologised for them" and called the documentary "the astir challenging editorial issue" helium has dealt with.

Mr Davie said the BBC was "taking enactment to guarantee due accountability and we're taking contiguous steps to halt a failing similar this being repeated".

Despite a bid of controversies successful caller months - including livestreaming the arguable Bob Vylan acceptable astatine Glastonbury, erstwhile the set led chants of "death to the IDF" - Mr Davie insisted helium tin "lead" the BBC successful the close direction.

When asked if helium would resign, helium replied: "I simply deliberation I'm successful a spot wherever I tin enactment to amended dramatically the BBC and pb it successful the close way.

"We volition marque mistakes, but I deliberation arsenic a enactment and myself, I've been precise clear, and I deliberation we person been decisive."

After what helium called a "tough period," helium said the occupation of director-general was not 1 to instrumentality connected "if you privation a quiescent beingness oregon a stress-free existence".

Mr Shah backed Mr Davie, saying helium had shown "very beardown enactment passim each this play and helium has my afloat support".

The study showed that Mr Davie, who has been successful the relation since 2020, has had a 3.8% wage rise, with his wage going up from £527,000 past twelvemonth to £547,000.

BBC's top-earning stars revealed

The BBC yearly study besides revealed its on-screen apical earners, which saw erstwhile Match Of The Day big Gary Lineker apical the illustration for the eighth twelvemonth running.

The erstwhile Match Of The Day presenter, who near the BBC successful May, earned £1.35m successful 2024/25, according to the corporation's yearly report.

Last year's BBC yearly reappraisal was overshadowed by contention implicit flagship amusement Strictly Come Dancing, portion the twelvemonth earlier saw disgraced newsreader Huw Edwards named the corporation's highest-paid quality anchor, contempt having been suspended for 9 months.

The study showed the BBC TV licence interest generated an income of £3.8bn, portion BBC Commercial delivered grounds income of £2.2bn, and the BBC's main commercialized arm, BBC Studios, delivered net of £200m.

But the BBC said this was inactive not capable to plug the licence interest gap, which they accidental generates 30% little income than it did successful 2010.

Ahead of the Charter Review, the BBC volition people findings from their biggest ever assemblage questionnaire, with findings owed to beryllium published aboriginal this year.