The boss of Banijay UK, whose report into Gregg Wallace will publish imminently, addressed the scandal last night at a dinner for press, producers and talent just hours after reports emerged that Wallace has been fired from MasterChef.

"I was never the caricature now being sold for clicks," Wallace responded in a statement posted to Instagram on Tuesday.

It is understood that MasterChef star Gregg Wallace has been fired, following the conclusion of a six-month investigation into his conduct. The investigation, which has not yet been made public, was carried out by independent law firm Lewis Silkin on behalf of MasterChef's production company Banijay.