MasterChef judge John Torode brushes off axe as he gets cooking while final airs

Presenter John Torode was seen cooking a meal for his wife Lisa Faulkner in a video shared by her shortly before the final of MasterChef's latest series aired earlier tonight. The episode saw the newest winner of the BBC show unveiled.

Shortly before the final was broadcast this evening, John's wife Lisa, 53, shared footage of him in the kitchen with her followers. The video, shared on Instagram, showed John, 60, cooking a meal as they enjoyed an evening together.

Lisa asked him: "What are you making?" John told him: "Well, I'm making a version of pad thai." He continued by sharing with his wife in the footage posted tonight: "Crispy pork belly and chilli sauce, and then seafood curry and rice."

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Fans were then shown some of the food as John prepared the meal, with Lisa saying as she looked into one pot: "Oh my!" Turning the camera back to her husband, she told him: "Love you." John then replied to her: "Love you."

The latest series of MasterChef launched last month with John and Gregg Wallace, 60, as the judges. Gregg is said to have 'silently disappeared' during this week's episodes.

It was announced last year that Gregg would step away from the show amid a review of misconduct complaints. As reported at the time, through a lawyer, he said: "It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature."

Then, earlier this year, production company Banijay said that Gregg's position on the show had become "untenable" after allegations of inappropriate behaviour were upheld. Gregg, who apologised for "some" of his humour and language, had said in advance that the review "exonerates" him of "all the serious allegations which made headlines last year and finds [him] primarily guilty of inappropriate language between 2005 and 2018."

It was also previously been announced that John would not have his contract for MasterChef renewed either. Banijay said that an investigation into his Gregg's behaviour by firm Lewis Silkin had "substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against" his co-host John.

The BBC said John denied the allegation and he previously told fans in a statement: "I have no recollection of what I'm accused of." John also said at the time: "Celebrity MasterChef, which I recently filmed with Grace Dent along with two fantastic Christmas specials will be my last."

Earlier this month, it was announced that Grace and Anna Haugh will be the next MasterChef hosts. Chef Anna had already replaced Gregg at the end of the latest series, whilst food critic Grace was unveiled last year as a judge with John on the next series of Celebrity MasterChef.

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