The channel said it was "the right thing to do" for the chefs who took part, but British broadcast union Bectu has criticized the BBC for rewarding "bad behavior" with prime-time coverage.

The controversial new series of MasterChef, which is presented by sacked hosts Gregg Wallace and John Torode, has landed on BBC iPlayer, leaving fans of the show torn.

The BBC faced criticism following its decision to air the latest MasterChef series after an internal investigation uncovered more than 40 substantiated complaints against veteran presenter Gregg Wallace, alongside allegations that co-host Josh Torode employed racially offensive language,