Hoping that Greg Wallace is forgiven, rather than cancelled

[Toodaloo1567]

Just a few concerns about this whole GW thing. Caveat: I do not condone behaviour that is illegal.

1. It does kind of look like a whole bunch of privileged TV luvvies are clamouring to denounce someone with really quite humble roots. I grew up in London and am constantly paranoid about how I come across to my mainly middle class colleagues. The thing is, middle class and privileged people operate by a set of unwritten rules. It’s like a full time job in itself trying to emulate their way of interacting, lest you be called out for not being ‘nice’ enough or doing something odd to them, like forgetting to start an email with ‘Hope you are well?’. Only, they won’t let you know to your face that you’ve accidentally been too sharp or direct, or maybe that your joke wasn’t woke enough - no, that stuff just goes straight to HR.
2. The equality act 2010 makes it the employer’s responsibility to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Why wasn’t all this lewd stuff dealt with? GW said that no one had made a formal complaint. Again, it makes me wonder whether the middle class luvvies just didn’t want to call things out at the time because it’s ‘beneath’ them to even consider doing something about it.
3. Even though he’s apologised, the public doesn’t think that’s good enough. It’s like only perfect people get to keep their careers. Woe betide you if you said something crass on twitter 10 years ago, or got caught speeding or something.

Of course, lots of you would want to shout me down over this, but you know what? We’re all mums here and many of us have sons. Boys and young men do and say crass things. GW hasn’t raped or systematically abused anyone. It doesn’t make what’s happened right, but I also don’t think it’s right that swarms of pitch-fork waving strangers get to play judge, jury and executioner. I’m a big fan of forgiveness. Am I the only one?

‘Boys and young men do and say crass things.’

Boys will be boys eh?? We need to be teaching our boys not to do this, and that it’s not ok…and not just their mothers either doing the teaching, but the other males in their lives. We need to stop making excuses for poor male behaviour - girls and women suffer because of it.

I agree with a lot of what you’re saying OP. I mean, complaining about sexual innuendos? Come on. Lots do it, both men and women. Watch programmes like Four In A Bed, where the contestants are always making innuendos about the sausages they have for breakfast. Not something I do, but each to their own. Don’t like it? Just ignore fgs. He sounds unpleasant, but if the BEEB starts sacking people for being rude, there’d be very few people still presenting. A lot of these famous people stand on heads as they climb up the ladder. That’s how they get there. Some contestants on Masterchef have also come out saying there’s a few problems with arrogance and unpleasant behaviour on the show, but not isolated just to Greg Wallace.

Have you tried thrusting your crotch in their face? HR should be fine with this.

I'm a fan of forgiveness. It depends what it's of though and can only extend so far. I don't know all the details of what he's done. I'll make my mind up when I find out. So far I don't really care either way.

OP I'm also big on forgiveness but GW has shown no self-reflection, understanding or remorse for his actions.
Clearly it's unacceptable that the whole set enabled him too.

For those reasons he should definitely not be allowed back on tv.

Contrast with Aled Jones who showed more remorse for lesser actions and was forgiven by the public.

I think so, or it could well be Greg himself ...

I’m sorry but some things you just let slide and stop getting your knickers in a twist over. He is in the public domain. And collectively, with the accusations, the man is vile.

I'm a big fan of forgiveness - Unfortunately some people are twats and don't deserve it.

Well that's up to you. I do. I'm not arrogant not a twat. Because that lack of attention to detail actually shows up in their work elsewhere. Making them incompetent and possibly a liability to an organisation where detail does matter. And if someone is asking me for money/favours/help for whatever cause if they cant get that small detail right what else will they overlook.

Concerns were raised as far back as 2017. The BBC is the 'buyer' ...it commissions the programme which is made by Banijay. Banijay needs to look hard at its work place culture.

Working class roots has nothing to do with being a sexist bully does it? Not does it mean you are too thick to understand what you are doing

oh so now he's a potential rapist and systematic abuser..well that didn't take long, even by MN's standards.

He's not autistic. Just a sex pest.

I have no issue with forgiving him, but he still needs to face the consequences of his actions. Forgiveness doesn't mean that everything is forgotten.

Also, claiming that he's working class and thus presumably doesn't know any better (WTF?) makes it even harder for other working class young people to beak into media jobs, since recruiters will assume they'll all be feral oiks who will create legal problems for the company down the line. That assumption, on the part of posh middle class managers at the Beeb, is what's allowed women to get harassed willy-nilly for years, not just by Greg.

What does 'cancelled' mean in this context though? I'd imagine his career is permanently damaged now not so much by the initial complaints but by his doubling down contemptuously on 'middle class women of a certain age'. Although the behaviour alone would be plenty for me not to want to watch him, employ him or spend time with him. He may pivot into anti-wokeness of course.

I don't know, 'cancelled' just feels like it's some high-handed sanctimonious groupthink going on. I actually think it's just a story that has become quite big because he's yet another household name believing he was untouchable and then he added further fuel to the fire. If people want to a) discuss it and b) think he's a prat, that is our prerogative.

I'm all for forgiveness but that's on more of an individual basis. I question whether he's in any way sorry (in the sense of remorseful) though.

He’s obviously said some pretty awful things to quite a few women. I’m not a fan and never have been, but, I think there are a lot of men like him out there that grew up in an age where that sort of misogynistic language was more common and tolerated-just about, although wrongly.
Things are very different now & thank goodness.
I hope GW and all the other men out there like him change and are held to account. I think there is hope that the general public can forgive people once they see remorse and change.

I totally agree
Intimidating and just gross behavior.

Ainsley Harriot must be shitting himself. Singlehandedly the most sleazy tv cookery show host in history. More smutty sexual innuendo than enyone.

It doesn't have to be rape before we agree it's unacceptable surely? That's not exactly high standards is it ?

People who say woke shouldn't be allowed to post

Younger, working class women probably don't feel empowered enough to complain. Doesn't mean they like it though.

Thanks for the laugh, OP.