Saturday Kitchen star Matt Tebbutt has sparked rumours he could be replacing Gregg Wallace on a MasterChef spin off show after Wallace stepped back from the BBC following sexual harassment allegations.
Tebbutt, who has presented the BBC show since 2016, recently appeared on Grilled by The Staff Canteen podcast to talk about his upcoming career plans.
Speaking about the morning programme, the 51-year-old said: “It’s going to stop at some point. I’m going to have to do something.”
He added that he would consider returning to the restaurant industry: “Never say never. Maybe that’s the time to do it.”
He continued: “Every now and again I have to stop myself because you have to remember how hard that job is.
“It can be hugely rewarding, but it’s a proper hard graft.”
However, Tebbutt is hoping to show continues to remain popular amongst viewers, previously saying: “We sort of carry on making the best show we can, people still love it, they’re still watching it, in their millions fortunately.
“So it’s still got a huge place but I think going forward, TV in general will have to address how it’s viewed.”
Tebbutt’s look to the future has sparked rumours he may be set to replace Gregg Wallace on MasterChef: The Professionals, after an insider told The Sun he was in talks with the BBC.
They said: “Matt rose to the challenge of coming into Saturday Kitchen after it was previously hosted by another big name in the world of food, James Martin.
“He managed the feat of making it his own and almost making viewers forget who his predecessor was — now Beeb bosses, and the show producers Banijay, will be hoping he can work the same magic on MasterChef.
“Nothing is set in stone, of course, and the result of investigations into Gregg’s behaviour have yet to fully conclude.
“But since MasterChef is such a huge show with a massive following, the Beeb are keen to have everything lined up ready.”
It has been rumoured Wallace will return to our screens this year, after reports claim the BBC plans to air a pre-filmed series of MasterChef that features the 60-year-old. However, they will likely hold back airing the programme until investigations into Wallace have concluded.
Last year, 13 women came forward accusing the 60-year-old of sexually inappropriate behaviour. Wallace’s lawyers denied the accusations, saying it was entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature. MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK has since launched an investigation and said Wallace is co-operating.
After the accusations came to light, Wallace took to his Instagram to say they were being made by “middle-class women of a certain age.”
He later apologised for his remarks, saying “I want to apologise for any offence that I caused with my post yesterday and any upset I may have caused to a lot of people.
“I wasn’t in a good head space when I posted it, I’ve been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion, I felt very alone, under siege yesterday when I posted it.
“It’s obvious to me I need to take some time out now while this investigation is under way. I hope you understand and I do hope you accept this apology.”