MasterChef's new host Matt Tebbutt addresses 'difficulty' of replacing Gregg Wallace

Matt Tebbutt has been unveiled as the new face of MasterChef: The Professionals, stepping into the shoes of Gregg Wallace. After a misconduct investigation upheld 45 out of 83 complaints against Wallace, including "being in a state of undress" and one involving "unwanted physical contact", he was given the boot from the show this summer.

Last week, the BBC announced that the Saturday Kitchen presenter, aged 51, would be joining Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti on the programme. In a recent interview, the TV chef expressed his hope that his new role would "not ruffle any feathers".

The Saturday Kitchen host acknowledged the challenging position he's stepping into. Speaking to the Express, he said: "Stepping into someone's TV shoes is a difficult position to be in. But I did it before - under totally different circumstances, of course - when James Martin left Saturday Kitchen.

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"I just try and make my own mark without making too many waves. I'll be as safe as houses on MasterChef: The Professionals!" He added: "It's fair to say the 'Good Cop' would apply here.

"My two grown-up kids, for instance, call me 'GI Dad' but the 'GI' refers to 'give in' rather than the GI Joe reference that I'd hoped they meant. Seriously, though, I think I'll be pretty fair but expect high standards - after all some of these contestants are at the top of their game.

"It's all been very exciting and I was very chuffed to be picked for The Professionals. I was pretty surprised to be honest but I think they wanted to get someone with as much experience as possible so they could drop them in at the deep end! And the fact that my name also begins with a 'M' maybe helps. A bit of alliteration never hurts."

Days after Tebbutt's new role was announced, it emerged that John Torode and Wallace had been ousted by Grace Dent and Anna Haugh for the amateur MasterChef series.

Torode and Wallace, who had helmed the show for the past two decades, were booted from the BBC programme after grievances against the pair were upheld.

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