John Torode speaks out after BBC Masterchef sacking

The 61-year-old Melbourne-born chef hosted the popular series for 20 years alongside Gregg Wallace.

Torode was sacked from the cooking competition show last year after an allegation that he used “highly offensive racist language” was upheld in a review looking into Wallace, who was also fired due to alleged misconduct.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Torode said he received the news via a call from his agent while he was on holiday.

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He said: "It was a shock.

"The shutters closed around me and I was devastated, absolutely, completely devastated.

"I put my heart and soul into that thing, I really worked very, very hard."

The 61-year-old described the aftermath as a period of "grieving" and expressed anger at how quickly the BBC ended his two-decade tenure.

He said: "Twenty years of my life, suddenly picked up by somebody, a decision and gone 'nah.'"

Mr Torode has ruled out taking legal action against the BBC.

He said: "To get embroiled in further conflict would only do damage.

"It was a situation that was so shocking, so out of the blue, that there was nothing to be done to make a change in any way and to heal was going to take time."

Since leaving Masterchef, he has launched a YouTube channel, John and Lisa’s Kitchen and Home, with his wife, actress Lisa Faulkner.

Masterchef crew members described the atmosphere as "shell-shocked and saddened" after his departure.

The show, originally created by Franc Roddam and first aired in 1990, was revived in 2005 with Mr Torode and Mr Wallace as hosts.

Following the scandal, viewer ratings have dropped by 28 per cent, falling from an average of 2.73 million to 1.96 million.

Grace Dent has since joined the show as co-host, alongside Irish chef Anna Haugh and Giorgio Locatelli for the celebrity and Christmas editions.

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