Former Masterchef star John Torode was back in the spotlight at a food festival in Nottinghamshire on Sunday after taking ‘some time out’ following his sacking.

The presenter, 60, was axed from the BBC cooking show in mid July for allegedly using ‘extremely offensive racist language in 2018’, something he claims he has ‘no recollection’ of.

His devoted wife Lisa Faulkner, 53, kept closely by his side to support him and revealed John is ‘doing OK’.

She told Daily Mail: ‘MasterChef will not be the same without John. But he’s doing OK.’

John shook off his work woes as he gave two live demonstrations at the show’s packed 500-seat cookery theatre at the Festival of Food and Drink in Thoresby Hall.

He said during a walkabout with Lisa before his first demo: ‘Life goes on! I’ve had a lot of support and I’m very grateful.’

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John Torode, 60, was back in the spotlight at a food festival in Nottinghamshire on Sunday after taking ‘some time out’ following his sacking from Masterchef

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The presenter was axed from the BBC cooking show in mid July for allegedly using ‘extremely offensive racist language in 2018’, something he claims he has ‘no recollection’ of

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His devoted wife Lisa Faulkner , 53, an actress and fellow home cook, kept closely by his side to support him and revealed John is ‘doing OK’

John had pulled out of a food festival in Seaham, County Durham in August after losing his high profile job.

The presenter’s co-host Greg Wallace, 60, was also sacked following numerous complaints of his appropriate sexual comments and behaviour.

John mingled with food lovers on the second day of the two-day 12th annual event which featured several other well known chefs, including Simon Rimmer, Rosemary Shrager, Chris Baber and Chris Bavin, who also acted as weekend host.

He had taken a break in wake of the allegations against him but chose to fulfil his commitment to the Nottinghamshire slot he had been pre-booked before his BBC TV downfall.

It followed a decision by the BBC and production company Banijay UK that his contract on the show, that he had been apart of since 2005, would not be renewed.

Fans were delighted to see John back cooking at the festival which featured more than 150 traders and street food sellers.

When one supporter said to John, ‘That dreadful Gregg Wallace stitched you up!’ he gave a wry smile but didn’t respond.

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Of her husband’s axe, Lisa told Daily Mail: ‘MasterChef will not be the same without John. But he’s doing OK’ (John is pictured on-stage)

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John shook off his work woes as he gave two live demonstrations at the show’s packed 500-seat cookery theatre at the Festival of Food and Drink in Thoresby Hall

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He said during a walkabout with Lisa before his first demo: ‘Life goes on! I’ve had a lot of support and I’m very grateful’

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John had pulled out of a food festival in Seaham, County Durham in August after losing his high profile job

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John mingled with food lovers on the second day of the two-day 12th annual event which featured several other well known chefs, including Simon Rimmer and Rosemary Shrager

The jovial presetner, wearing blue denim shirt and casual cream trousers, was given a rapturous applause when he took to the stage.

After his warm welcome, he greeted the audience, saying: ‘Hello everybody. How are we? All good I hope.’

As people clapped, Lisa was looking in from the side of the open marquee, beaming and taking photos of her husband.

Lisa, dressed in jeans and an olive green quilted jacket, disappeared when John, pointed at her as he told the crowd that his wife was ‘over there.’

The couple later signed copies of their new £22 cook book ‘John and Lisa’s Kitchen’ which the chef said would make a ‘really good Christmas gift.’

MasterChef superfans Wayne and Mandy Smith from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, said it was ‘fantastic’ seeing John back in the public gaze.

Retail manager Wayne told Daily Mail: ‘John should never have got sacked in the first place, nor should Gregg. It was a BBC witch hunt against them and a complete over reaction.

‘We’re massive fans of the show and we’re looking forward to watching the finals next week.’

BBC bosses had considered pulling the current pre-recorded series featuring amateur cooks but decided to air it whilst cutting out the banter of the under fire co-hosts and focusing more on the contestants.

Wayne, who met John as he signed his book, said: ‘I was going to ask him who won the show as he obviously knows but thought it was a bit cheeky!’

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Fans were delighted to see John back cooking at the festival which featured more than 150 traders and street food sellers

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After his warm welcome, he greeted the audience, saying: ‘Hello everybody. How are we? All good I hope’

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View gallery

As people clapped, Lisa was looking in from the side of the open marquee, beaming and taking photos of her husband

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Lisa, dressed in jeans and an olive green quilted jacket, disappeared when John, pointed at her as he told the crowd that his wife was ‘over there’

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The couple later signed copies of their new £22 cook book ‘John and Lisa’s Kitchen’ which the chef said would make a ‘really good Christmas gift’

His shop assistant wife said: ‘It’s fantastic to see John on the stage. He’s brilliant and so charismatic.’

Fellow fan Beverley Lock agreed, adding: ‘There’s a lot of support here for John today and many people will agree he was unfairly treated. He supposedly said a racist word but it was years ago and he can’t even remember it.

‘The marquee was packed and he got the biggest round of applause. He was very confident and we picked up a few cooking tips from him.’

Her husband Ross added: ‘It’s a shame he lost his MasterChef job. He was very good at it. It’s nice to see him in public doing what he does best – cooking to a crowd. He was on good form.’

The Locks, retired owners of a butcher shop from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, were many dozens who paid for VIP tickets, which included a meet and greet with John.

During John’s first demo he cooked panfried scallops with Greek skordalia, a potato, cream, garlic and parsley dip, plus an oven baked tomato and shallot pastry pie.

He chose not to mention MasterChef, his former sidekick Greg or the BBC, as he took the stage in the shadow of grand Thoresby Hall, a Grade 1 former stately home which is now a hotel.

John appeared at ease as he joked with the crowd as he revealed that all different vegetables have their ‘own ‘personality and character’, he quipped: ‘I sound bonkers, don’t I!’ which received a large laugh.

The star said it was ‘lovely that dogs are here too,’ adding, ‘We left our dogs at home. They would have loved it here.’

He bigged up himself and wife Lisa, plugging their joint show on rival station ITV, enthusiastically adding: ‘We’ve just finished series 10 for ITV and our Christmas special in November. We’re doing pretty well!’

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During John’s first demo he cooked panfried scallops with Greek skordalia, a potato, cream, garlic and parsley dip, plus an oven baked tomato and shallot pastry pie

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He chose not to mention MasterChef, his former sidekick Greg or the BBC as he took the stage in the shadow of grand Thoresby Hall, a Grade 1 former stately home which is now a hotel

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View gallery

John joked with the crowd as he revealed that all different vegetables have their ‘own ‘personality and character’, he quipped: ‘I sound bonkers, don’t I!’ which received a large laugh

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View gallery

He bigged up himself and wife Lisa, plugging their joint show on rival station ITV, enthusiastically adding: ‘We’ve just finished series 10 for ITV and our Christmas special in November. We’re doing pretty well!’

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John reminded his fans that he has been a chef for an incredible 43 years before concluding his session saying: ‘I’ve loved this. This has been really good fun. Thank you very much. Enjoy the sunshine!’

John reminded his fans that he has been a chef for an incredible 43 years before concluding his session saying: ‘I’ve loved this. This has been really good fun, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much. Enjoy the sunshine!’

A source close to the event organiser told Daily Mail: ‘We are thrilled to have John here. He has done nothing wrong. He’s been hung out to dry.

‘He’s doing OK but he doesn’t want to talk about what happened and neither do we.

‘He’s had a horrible time, and this is his first time back in public since all that happened.

‘John’s a lovely guy and so popular. He just wanted to be back at the festival he has appeared at many times before, and be among friends with no one judging him.’

Before he stepped onto the stage, John and his wife had wandered around the event with fans asking for selfies, with the couple happily obliging.

The organiser source added: ‘Lisa is here to support him and will be signing books with him the VIP area.

‘John is relaxed and has gone shopping and having a look around with Lisa.’

Failing to acknowledge his sacking, Thoresby Park Food Festival continued to bill him on their website as: ‘A hugely popular and influential figure on the UK culinary circuit, John Torode MBE is best known as the straight-talking co-host presenter and judge of MasterChef and Celebrity MasterChef – the world’s most successful cookery TV format.’

‘A regular guest chef on This Morning, John also appears with his wife Lisa Faulkner co-hosting John & Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen on ITV, a hugely successful series, now in its 9th series.’

MasterChef has since announced new stars to take over presenting roles in both the professional and amateur cooking series.

Grace Dent – who previously stepped in to host the celebrity spin-off series with John – will return as a permanent judge.

The food critic will be joined by Irish-born chef Anna Haugh, who replaced Gregg in the last episodes after allegations against him first came to light.

BBC One Saturday Kitchen host Matt Tebbutt, 51, was recently announced as the new presenter of MasterChef: The Professionals, alongside chefs Marcus Wareing, 55, and Monica Galetti, 50, for the 18th series of the cooking competition.

The current series of MasterChef, which features John and Gregg in reduced format, lost nearly one million viewers as it aired last month.

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The couple beamed for photos backstage with Chris Baber

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Lisa thanked everyone who watched John as she filmed his entrance on Instagram

Gregg was fired after more than 45 complaints against him were upheld following a BBC investigation.

John also lost his job after two decades, over allegations that he used the N-word.

The BBC said the host’s contract would not be renewed after a report found he had used an ‘extremely offensive racist term’ during drinks after filming the show.

The complaint against John was revealed in the report into Gregg’s inappropriate behaviour.

John identified himself as an unnamed person in the report who was accused of using ‘racist language’.

However, the presenter said ‘he had absolutely no recollection’ of the incident and did ‘not believe that it happened’.

A BBC spokesperson said: ‘John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him

‘This allegation – which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace – was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm, Lewis Silkin.

‘John Torode denies the allegation. He has stated he has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment

‘The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.’

Following his firing, wife Lisa posted in an Instagram video: ‘Thank you for all your really lovely comments because they really mean a lot.’