THE HIGHER YOU CLIMB
The header for this article is half of an old adage which ends… the harder you fall. And this week, both the sporting world and that of television and entertainment have been rocked by two very high-profile downfalls.
The first concerns the high-octane, high-rolling world of Formula One. If horse racing is the sport of kings, then F1 is the sport of A-listers and billionaires. The eye-watering sums of money involved in setting up a single race, the salaries paid to drivers, and the investments by advertisers and team owners are staggering. Those who fund these teams expect equally high returns on their capital outlay.
One such team is Red Bull, associated with the energy drink famously marketed with the slogan “Gives you wings.” But in the case of sacked Red Bull Racing Principal Christian Horner, the opposite has proved true. His fall from grace has been over a year in the making, relating to complaints about inappropriate behaviour toward female colleagues. These first emerged in February 2024, but after an investigation and several meetings with Red Bull’s owners and lawyers, the charges were dropped and Horner was cleared by the end of that month.
A statement from Red Bull GmbH at the time read: “The independent investigation into the allegations made against Mr Horner is complete, and Red Bull can confirm that the grievance has been dismissed. The complainant has a right of appeal.” However, only 24 hours later, WhatsApp texts and pictures were leaked from an anonymous source to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali, other team principals, and members of the media. Despite this, as Red Bull driver Max Verstappen celebrated victory in Bahrain, Horner stated that he was “absolutely confident” he would stay on as Red Bull boss for the remainder of the season. In August that year, following the complainant’s appeal, Horner was cleared for a second time.
Yet this week, a year later, he has been summarily dismissed from his role along with several of his hand-picked team members. Horner, famously married to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, was publicly supported by her throughout the first scandal — though only time will tell if the marriage survives this latest storm.
In television, the world of reality cooking shows has also been shaken. Gregg Wallace, the long-time host of the BBC’s MasterChef, has stepped down following a lengthy probe into inappropriate behaviour. His fall has been so severe that the BBC is reportedly considering scrapping the final series of the show, which has already been filmed but not aired. Episodes have been shelved while production company Banijay completes its investigation.
The Sun newspaper revealed that the disgraced chef is threatening to complain to Ofcom after BBC News reported that there were 50 new misconduct claims against him. A source noted that “the investigation into Gregg is yet to be published,” and that BBC Director General Tim Davie is expected to make a decision soon. The seven-month external probe into 30 historical complaints — followed by 50 new claims — is expected to conclude shortly. Wallace, furious with the BBC’s coverage, has accused it of conducting a witch hunt and plans to file a formal complaint.
Wallace, who had hosted MasterChef with John Torode since 2005 and fronted other BBC programmes including Inside the Factory and Supermarket Secrets, faces accusations of making inappropriate comments and appearing on set nearly naked during rehearsals — claims he denies. He argues that his autism makes it difficult for him to tolerate wearing underwear and that his “cheeky chappie” personality, once celebrated, is now being condemned.
The 60-year-old former greengrocer has stepped away from the show while historical misconduct allegations are investigated. Banijay UK has confirmed that law firm Lewis Silkin is leading the inquiry. Meanwhile, Wallace has publicly lashed out on social media, vowing “not to go quietly.” A BBC source has emphasized that Wallace was a Banijay employee rather than a BBC one, though the broadcaster still faces pressure to show that it takes staff protection and workplace culture seriously.
A BBC spokesperson said, “We are not going to comment until the investigation is complete and the findings are published.”
It’s all rather unedifying and rather knocks Horner’s alleged poor conduct into a cocked hat, though two wrongs never make a right. Suffice to say, the old “boys will be boys” attitude is no longer tolerated in the workplace, whether on an F1 track, in a television studio, or anywhere else.
And the moral of both stories? When the spotlight shines on you, make sure you’re not caught short particularly in the undergarment department.
