BBC Masterchef judge vows he would never judge ‘easier’ rival cooking show
Masterchef host Gregg Wallace has said he would never want to be a judge on rival show The Great British Bake Off because it is an “easier” job.
The TV presenter has cohosted the BBC cooking programme alongside chef John Torode since 2005.
The pair of judges taste and critique a wide range of culinary creations in different rounds. Wallace told the Radio Times magazine: “I wouldn’t want to judge Bake Off.
“Their job’s easier than ours because they only taste one kind of food.”
The Great British Bake Off was the UK’S most-watched programme in 2016 in the midst of a seven-season run on the BBC.
But the rights to the programme were controversially bought by Channel 4 in a bumper £75 million deal, with the hugely popular cooking show moving to the commercial broadcaster last year.
The BBC in August accused Channel 4 of a “cynical move” by scheduling the return of the The Great British Bake Off against one of its new cooking programmes.
Although Wallace ruled out appearing on the Channel 4 show, in which judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith scrutinise the treats made by amateur bakers, he said he thinks he would improve history programmes if he were to present them.
He said: “I don’t like academics doing them. It’s like they’re doing adverts for their book. History is only stories. I would tell it like I’m talking about two blokes in the pub.”
Wallace said he also thinks he could do a survival show better than Bear Grylls.
“For all his SAS training, at least I would remember to bring a packed lunch,” he said.
Torode said if he were to branch out into reality TV, the one he “might consider” when he is older is I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
“You eat beans and rice for a couple of weeks, lose a few pounds and then you get a holiday in Australia,” Torode said.
He added: “A few bugs and testicles? Have you seen what we’ve eaten on Masterchef?”
Wallace quipped he would do I’m A Celebrity “if it paid enough of the mortgage off ”.