John Torode torn apart by BBC's Richard Osman after MasterChef statement 'That's not true'

BBC star Richard Osman has hit out at former MasterChef judge John Torode after his sacking from the programme following allegations he used a racial slur. After a lengthy investigation into his colleague Gregg Wallace, who was accused of inappropriate sexual language and unwelcome physical contact, it was found that one claim against Torode was also substantiated.

For his part, John has said he has "absolutely no recollection" of using "racial language", but said: "For the sake of transparency I confirm that I am the individual who is alleged to have used racial language on one occasion. The allegation is that I did so some time in 2018 or 2019, in a social situation, and that the person I was speaking with did not believe that it was 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." But former Pointless host Richard had his own thoughts to share on the scandal on his podcast The Rest is Entertainment.

In a blistering tirade, Richard said: "John Torode, I think, in The Sun, said a couple of things. He said, 'The first I knew about it was I read it in the papers.' And my understanding is that's not true - the first thing he knew about it was when he was told it.

"The other thing he said was the BBC said, 'Why don't you just say that you're going to quit because of mental health?' That was in The Sun, I think. And I've rarely heard a more vehement denial from everyone involved that that conversation certainly didn't happen."

He added: "The only conversation was, 'We believe this happened. We will give you a second chance at Lifeline, which is you take a year, you take a series off, you go and do something, talk to people who maybe persuade you that this is not the way to act in a certain workplace.' And he said he was not prepared to do that.

"That's my understanding of the situation from speaking to lots of various people involved in this, and we are going to hear more from everyone in this, I suspect, in the next few days."

Richard continued: "So in terms of the John Torode thing, which was allegations of using racist language, John Torode says, 'I don't recall it. I don't believe it happened,' he said. But the people who've gone through that report and have talked to people who were there at the time do believe it happened.

"And by the way, there's all sorts of things that weren't upheld because they couldn't say for certain they believed it happened. But, you know, on this particular occasion, it's not woke gone mad.

"You know, he used, I think, probably the worst racial slur there is. And they found that to be substantively true. They found evidence that they were happy with - that that was true. He is saying, 'I definitely didn't do it. I certainly can't remember it,' but that one was upheld."

Express.co.uk has contacted Torode's reps for comment.