Grace Dent and Anna Haugh replace Wallace and Torode after misconduct allegations

MasterChef will return with a historic all-female presenting line-up after the BBC confirmed that Grace Dent and Anna Haugh will take over hosting duties, following the dismissal of long-time judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode.

Dent, the Guardian’s restaurant critic and a familiar face on the show as a guest judge, will join Irish chef Haugh, who has become a regular on the BBC’s culinary programming. The duo are the first all-women team to lead the flagship amateur cooking contest in its two-decade history.

The move follows months of controversy after Wallace and Torode, who had fronted the programme together since 2005, were dropped earlier this year. Wallace stepped back during the filming of the most recent season after an independent investigation upheld 45 allegations against him, including claims of inappropriate sexual remarks and one incident of unwelcome physical contact. While Wallace apologised “for any distress caused,” he insisted the inquiry cleared him of “the most serious and sensational accusations.”

Torode was also dismissed following a substantiated complaint about the use of racist language. A BBC spokesperson confirmed in July that while Torode denied the allegation and claimed to have “no recollection of the incident,” the corporation considered the language wholly unacceptable.

In his place on MasterChef: The Professionals, the broadcaster has already announced that TV chef Matt Tebbutt will step in as a judge.

Dent said she was “over the moon” to be returning to the kitchen in a full-time role. “It’s a joy to be working with Anna, who brings all her incredible experience to the table. I am in for such a treat with this series, I can’t wait to get started,” she said.

Haugh, who has previously stood in for Wallace during the final episodes of the latest season, praised her new co-presenter: “I’ve admired Grace’s writing and wit for years. MasterChef has long inspired cooks both in home kitchens and in the industry. I can’t wait to get into the studio for what will be a great competition.”

The programme will also relocate from London to the BBC’s new studios in Birmingham as part of the corporation’s wider regional production strategy. David Ambler, MasterChef’s executive editor, hailed the appointments as “a new beginning” for the series. “Both are enormously respected in the hospitality industry and we can’t wait for them to uncover more great cooking talent from across the country,” he said.

The BBC took the unusual decision to air the latest amateur edition of MasterChef, which still heavily featured Wallace and Torode, after consulting with contestants. However, the broadcaster quietly edited out at least two competitors who had objected to being associated with the series in light of the allegations. One contestant, Sarah Shafi, told producers she did not want the show broadcast, saying it risked sending the wrong message about powerful men facing insufficient challenge when behaving inappropriately.

Dent and Haugh’s arrival is intended to draw a line under one of the most turbulent chapters in the show’s history. The BBC will hope the new presenting team can restore trust in a programme that has been a cornerstone of its prime-time schedule for two decades and remains one of its most successful international formats