Dave Gorman series drops episode because of Gregg Wallace allegations
- Dave Gorman: Modern Life Is Goodish is returning with only three episodes, because a fourth, featuring Gregg Wallace, is "no longer tonally appropriate to include in the series"
- Allegations of sexual harassment against MasterChef presenter Wallace made the episode unviable, with unrelated material from the hour-long special now set to be released online
- Modern Life Is Goodish returns on U&Dave on 24th February
The revival of Dave Gorman: Modern Life Is Goodish has dropped an episode featuring Gregg Wallace following historical allegations of sexual harassment against the MasterChef presenter, British Comedy Guide can exclusively reveal.
The U&Dave channel commissioned Gorman for four episodes of his popular, PowerPoint-enabled stand-up series last year.
However, only three episodes will be broadcast when the series returns for the first time since 2017 on 24th February.
BCG understands that significant amounts of material pertaining to Wallace and his BBC television programme Inside The Factory, written before allegations about the presenter's on-set behaviour emerged, have led to the episode being dumped, with leftover material unrelated to Wallace set to be released on the channel's website.
"We felt that footage filmed with Gregg Wallace was no longer tonally appropriate to include in the series" a U&Dave spokesperson told BCG. "Dave Gorman: Modern Life Is Goodish now comprises three specials, plus two new bonus features on U, including Kicked in the Balls (14:14) and Space Race Found Poem (09:07).
"Audiences will be able to enjoy this exclusive short-form content whenever they feel like a quick hit of Dave Gorman brilliance on our free streaming service. These features will see Dave once again turn his attention to the areas of everyday life we normally take for granted, scrutinising the absurdities and contradictions that continue to fascinate and infuriate him."
Wallace has been a recurring target in Gorman's stand-up, with the comedian having previously described the grocer-turned-television presenter as "a six-year-old in man's clothing".
Modern Life Is Goodish originally ran for five series between 2013 and 2017, attracting 1.5 million viewers per episode at its peak, becoming one of U&Dave's owner UKTV's longest-running series.
"I'm delighted to be getting back in the Goodish saddle," Gorman said at the time of the latest series' announcement.
The comic, who has also just revealed that he started wearing hearing aids last year, added: "It's been seven years since I hung up my Modern Life Is Goodish clicker and in that time, life has definitely got seven years moderner - so there should be plenty to get my teeth into."
In November it was reported that Wallace was stepping away from hosting the MasterChef on the BBC, while allegations made by 13 individuals of him making inappropriate sexual comments were investigated.
Wallace's lawyers have said that it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature. But in December the BBC announced that two upcoming MasterChef specials and three Inside The Factory repeats were being pulled from the Christmas schedule.
UKTV is owned by BBC Studios, a commercial subsidiary of the BBC. Inside The Factory is now presented by comedian Paddy McGuinness.