TORODE RAGE

BBC chiefs are braced for a legal war with John Torode after it emerged the axed MasterChef host is not going to go without a fight.

- JANINE YAQOOB, MARK JEFFERIES & NICOLA METHVEN

The 59-year-old was sacked on Tuesday for allegedly making an “extremely offensive racist term in the workplace” said to be in 2018, which he denies.

An insider told how Torode is speaking to employment lawyers and said: “He is preparing the lawsuit against the BBC.

“He wants to pursue them for unfair dismissal.

“He's telling people there is no proof of his supposed comment.

“It was not in a work capacity, it was just hearsay. John is determined to clear his name.”

Torode followed his MasterChef co-host out of the door. Gregg Wallace had been axed when a law firm probe upheld 45 out of 83 complaints about his behaviour on the BBC.

They included “unwanted physical contact”, “being in a state of undress”, bullying and inappropriate jokes.