Coverage of the sacking of former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace could fuel stigma about autism.
That’s the view of job coach Kerry Malster, who works with autistic adults.
Gregg Wallace, pictured outside Ambitious about Autism’s TreeHouse School
An inquiry by a law firm into misconduct allegations against Wallace upheld 45 of the 83 complaints.
‘Deeply sorry’
Three of the upheld allegations are connected to the former TV host being undressed and another of unwelcome physical contact.
Most of the upheld allegations related to inappropriate sexual language and humour.
Wallace, who said he never “set out to harm or humiliate”, also had complaints of racism against him upheld.
He has issued a statement saying he is “deeply sorry”.
Diagnosed during the inquiry
Wallace was diagnosed with autism during the investigation into the allegations.
But the presenter has faced a barrage of criticism from commentators. They suggest he has tried to hide behind the diagnosis.
Wallace, whose son is autistic and non-verbal, became an ambassador for the charity Ambitious about Autism in June last year.
However, Autism Eye understands that the charity stopped working with him in November after allegations surfaced about him making inappropriate sexual comments.
Barriers to work
Malster, who runs jobs coaching company NeuroRocket, says she has supported dozens of autistic adults into work or helped them keep their jobs.
Job coach Kerry Malster says media reporting of the Greg Wallace case could feed stigma about autistic adults
She said barriers to work include perceptions that they are “not capable” and “unpredictable or even dangerous”.
Malster says coverage of the Wallace story “plays straight into these harmful narratives”.
She added: “It reinforces the idea that autistic men, in particular, are unsafe.”
‘Genuinely concerned’
Malster said she is now “genuinely concerned” that it may become more common for autistic men to be labelled as “sexual predators”.
The allegations against Wallace span 19 years and involve 63 people.
Wallace has since accused his former BBC bosses of failing to investigate his “disability” and protect him from what he now realises was a “dangerous environment”.
In a statement, the National Autistic Society advised against making “judgements based on the actions, words or behaviour of any one individual”.
The BBC has said there is no place for the “abuse of power, unacceptable behaviour or language at the BBC, or shows made for the BBC”.
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Published: 21 July 2025
