John Torode has reportedly been asked to step down from his role as the expert judge on BBC’s hit cooking series, MasterChef, following allegations that he used racist language.

This comes after an eight-month investigation into his co-host, Gregg Wallace, which upheld 45 out of 83 complaints of bad behaviour and eventually resulted in his axing from the broadcaster. Just days after the verdict was announced, the document also upheld a complaint that an unnamed person used a racial phrase once several years ago. Ahead of being formally identified, Torode took to Instagram and issued a statement, writing: “For the sake of transparency, I can confirm that I am the individual who is alleged to have used racial language on one occasion.” Although the TV chef insisted that he has “absolutely no recollection” of the incident, reports suggest he will be replaced on MasterChef by another famed TV chef.

While food critic Grace Dent, who has previously fronted the celebrity spin-off, is a favourite to replace Wallace, Saturday Kitchen’s Matt Tebbutt is a new favourite to fill Torode’s shoes.

It's believed he has already landed the job fronting MasterChef: The Professionals.

According to an insider via The Sun: “Both Grace and Matt are well thought of at the Beeb, and the one thing they want in the wake of the show’s recent crisis is familiarity and safety.

“They’re also conscious that having a male and female pairing is a welcome break from it being fronted by two blokes.”

Torode, who has hosted the show with Wallace since 2005, was said to be shocked after being informed about the allegation, as it did not receive a complaint at the time, but had been raised with investigators who probed into Wallace’s misconduct.

In his lengthy statement, the Australian native added: “The allegation is that I did so sometime in 2018 or 2019, in a social setting, and that the person I was speaking with did not believe that it intended in a malicious way and that I apologised immediately afterwards.

"I have absolutely no recollection of any of this, and I do not believe that it happened. However, I want to be clear that I’ve always had the view that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment. I’m shocked and saddened by the allegation as I would never wish to cause anyone any offence.”

Torode continued: "However, I want to be clear that I’ve always had the view that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment.

“I’m shocked and saddened by the allegation as I would never wish to cause anyone any offence."