MasterChef: Gregg and John set challenge for contestants
Fans of Celebrity MasterChef may be shocked to learn that dynamic duo John Torode and Gregg Wallace are "not actually friends" off-screen, with the pair reportedly embroiled in a long-standing feud. Despite their on-screen camaraderie, John has revealed he's had to escape a "massive fight" with Gregg, striking a chord with MasterChef enthusiasts.
Opening up to The Mirror, John confessed: "It's funny, we've never been friends. We've not been to each other's houses... If we go away to somewhere like South Africa, we do things separately... If we do go out for a drink, I'll invariably be at one end of a big old table and he'll be at the other."
Additionally, he disclosed: "We've had a couple of standoffs over the years. I've just had to walk away from him."
It seems that alcohol and candid opinions turned into a "massive fight" during one memorable clash over a contestant, reports Wales Online.
John recalled a particular incident saying: "Once we had a bit too much to drink and filming got called off. He got really stubborn."
He didn't hesitate to label his fellow judge "ridiculous" during their disagreement.
Yet Gregg paints a different picture of their relationship, terming it as "emotionally close" on Lorraine Kelly's ITV show. He expressed: "I film with John six or seven months of the year, so we are very close to each other physically, and emotionally we are very close to each other."
He also highlighted the strength of their partnership, adding: "What's great about having a partnership is that if one of you is a bit off, a bit down, the other one naturally steps up, so I rely on John a lot."
It appears there's more truth to their bond than rumours suggest: John took on the best man duties at Gregg's fourth wedding to Ann-Marie Sterpini in August 2016.
Gregg informed PA: "People say that John and I don't get on... We've been working together face-to-face for 20 years. We knew each other for 10 years before that John bought fruit and veg off me and he was best man at my wedding... He wasn't best man at every wedding, but he was at the last one!"
He intriguingly added: "You make your mind up what's going on there between me and Mr Torode."
John, on the other hand, shared that his joy in MasterChef stems from the fact that the duo maintain unique "identities and opinions" and haven't "morphed into each other" despite their long-standing partnership.
