hello, i'm lucy hockings, welcome to bbc news now. we have some breaking news when you are in the row about masterchef presenter gregg wallace, and we had a reaction where he said his comments were described as inappropriate and misogynistic. he said accusations of his behaviour on the show had come from a handful of middle—class women of a certain age. a bbc investigation had revealed that 13 people came forward last week with allegations of inappropriate comments. we also heard from number ten that the culture secretary, lisa nandy, had held talks with the bbc in

the wake of the row about his behaviour. the development we have to bring you in the last few minutes or so is that we have had another video posted on instagram by wister wallace, who said he wants to apologise for any offence caused by his post yesterday. we have a few more details about this video, and i want to bring in our entertainment correspondent who is with me now and has been looking into this. we havejust seen, i have not, you have, this video posted on instagram. talk as to what gregg wallace is no saying. talk as to what gregg wallace is no saying-— is no saying. what he is apologising _ is no saying. what he is apologising for - is no saying. what he is apologising for in - is no saying. what he is apologising for in this i is no saying. what he is i apologising for in this case is no saying. what he is - apologising for in this case is the language he used at the weekend when he was defending himself against the original allegations made against him by allegations made against him by a number of people, specifically the phrase that most people have picked up on it when he said the allegations came from a handful of middle—class women of a certain age. that is what he is apologising for in this particular case, and what he said in the video was he wants to apologise for any offence

that he caused with his post yesterday, and any upset that he may have cause to a lot of people. i wasn't in a good headspace when i posted it, he says, i have been under a huge amount of stress, i felt very alone, undersiege amount of stress, i felt very alone, under siege when i fostered it. it is obvious to me i need to take some time out while this investigation is under way. while this investigation is underway. i hope while this investigation is under way. i hope you understand, and i do hope you will accept this apology. of course, the investigation he is referring to their is being done by ballinger uk, the production company behind masterchef and its spin off, celebrity masterchef, masterchef the professionals, because of a number of allegations of historical bad behaviour against gregg wallace that have been made by a number of individuals. he denied those allegations. through his lawyers, he says he has never engaged in inappropriate behaviour with these people as described in the complaints. there's been a lot of reaction today to all of this. one of the developments is that number ten have now got involved and made a comment. lisa nandy of

the culture secretary, has been here to the bbc as well to stop what else have we heard? there has been a _ what else have we heard? there has been a wide _ what else have we heard? there has been a wide response, - what else have we heard? there has been a wide response, and i i has been a wide response, and i think people, particularly politicians and downing street in particular have felt that they can weigh in on what the comments from the weekend were like. they were purposely giving away to an extent, other than saying that the allegations of inappropriate behaviour are very disturbing, because understandably they are waiting to see what the investigation turns up on that. it may be that gregg wallace is completely cleared of those allegations. he has denied the allegations. he has denied the allegations that have been put to him. on the other hand, he may be found guilty. we don't know until this investigation is under way. downing street have felt that it is appropriate to weigh in on the way he defended himself at the weekend. that phrase, a handful of middle—class women of a certain age, has really struck a chord, and lots of people have found it offensive. that said, overthe

have found it offensive. that said, over the weekend, have found it offensive. that said, overthe weekend, gregg wallace did post on his social media comments from people supporting him over what he had said, people who have said they had worked with him on previous shows who had been contestants on shows, so there were some supportive comments out there as well. ~ ., as well. we are in the middle of a series. — as well. we are in the middle of a series, a _ as well. we are in the middle of a series, a masterchef- of a series, a masterchef series, either because for that to be taken off air?— to be taken off air? well, an mp on the — to be taken off air? well, an mp on the house _ to be taken off air? well, an mp on the house of- to be taken off air? well, an i mp on the house of commons culture, media and sport select committee have said the bbc should consider pulling it, because it may be triggering to some of the women who have made allegations against gregg wallace. other people, including the former head of the house of commons, harriet harman, have also said that the bbc should look very seriously are some of these issues. lisa nandy, the culture secretary, has said she has been in contact with bbc senior

management about the situation, particularly from the point of view of when the bbc�*s internal processes have been dealing with complaints is up to scratch, fit for purpose, to use that phrase that often comes out in situations like this. ., ~ comes out in situations like this. . ~ , ., comes out in situations like this. . . g , this. thank you so much. just to remind _ this. thank you so much. just to remind you, _ this. thank you so much. just to remind you, we _ this. thank you so much. just to remind you, we had - this. thank you so much. just to remind you, we had a - this. thank you so much. just| to remind you, we had a video posted on instagram from gregg wallace who says he wants to apologise for any offence caused by his post yesterday and any upset caused to a lot of people. more on that story throughout the day. syria's president, bashar al—assad, has blamed the us and other western countries for a rebel offensive that has reignited the civil war. the rebels seized aleppo — the country's second largest city — in a surprise attack last week. government troops now say they're preparing a counter—offensive and have welcomed support from iran and russia in the fight against the rebels. syria's military says airstrikes by russian and syrian warplanes have killed hundreds of rebels in the past day — but it's reported that many ordinary people have been caught in the crossfire. the surprise offensive by opposition forces, which began on wednesday, marks the most significant

fighting in syria's civil war in recent years. our correspondent, barbara plett usher has this report. they are alive. rescued from the wreckage moments after the bombs struck. footage posted by the syrian civil defence group, the white helmets, shows the aftermath of an attack on the rebel stronghold of idlib, south—west of aleppo. the regime is fighting back. thousands of people have been displaced, fleeing aleppo and areas around idlib. their lives suddenly upended by this escalation in syria's civil war. translation: we are following the battle news and god willing | the regime will fall. we count night and day to return as the kids are tired and shocked. we left and came here in our clothes and nothing else.

the speedy capture of aleppo took everyone by surprise. a devastating blow to the assad regime. the resurgents continue their advance, but here the city is coming to terms with a new normal. some are fearful of the anti—government rebels, but so far people continue with their daily lives. and for those driven out by previous battles, a chance to come home. translation: | returned to| aleppo after it was liberated, after we were driven out. i came back to experience this joy, to witness its greatness, its old neighbourhoods cleaned up after being desecrated by the assad regime and its collaborators. it isn't clear if the insurgents can hold on to the territory captured, but they have exposed the weakness of bashar al—assad's rule. this is the first sighting of him since the fall of aleppo, meeting iran's foreign minister — a crucial ally along with russia. both consumed by their own conflicts but trying to bring the situation back under control.

the front lines of syria's civil war have been redrawn and no one knows what comes next. barbara plett usher, bbc news, beirut. earlier, i spoke to khaled al khateb in aleppo. he's a member of the white helmets — a humanitarian organisation which has been runnning rescue operations in opposition—controlled areas of syria throughout the civil war. he told me more about the conditions in aleppo. the situation in aleppo city is serious never stop air strikes are still targeting the city. many air strikes are targeting different areas. our team once again, the entered aleppo after eight years of forced displacement. the humanitarian situation in general is very tough. most of the essential services are postponed. our teams are still doing their best to operate there, and it must be incredibly... it must

be incredible _ must be incredibly... it must be incredible if _ must be incredibly... it must be incredible if writing -- - be incredible if writing —— incredibly frightening for everyone there at the moment. it must still feel so dangerous. if the actual bombing of aleppo intensifying? today, air strikes fell on the city. there are still some bombardments in different neighbourhoods. the concern from the civilians there right now is because they think the regime may target and use cluster bombs, like chemical weapons, as they did in the past. so, this is the concern right now. past. so, this is the concern right nova— past. so, this is the concern right now. and for those that are injured — right now. and for those that are injured at _ right now. and for those that are injured at the _ right now. and for those that are injured at the moment i right now. and for those that l are injured at the moment with this bombing that is taking place, is there somewhere to take them? is there a hospital thatis take them? is there a hospital that is up and running and fully operating?— fully operating? actually, unfortunately _ fully operating? actually, unfortunately not. - fully operating? actually, unfortunately not. the i fully operating? actually, - unfortunately not. the medical facility has not functioned yet, and our team are transferring the wounded and injured and the casualties from aleppo city to the idlib. and

it is very dangerous. it is very tough. the route is still dangerous and under attack. this makes the task of our team much harder. pare this makes the task of our team much harder.— much harder. are people desperately _ much harder. are people desperately trying - much harder. are people desperately trying to - much harder. are people i desperately trying to leave much harder. are people - desperately trying to leave the city, even though they might feel it is dangerous to get out on the roads?— on the roads? actually, it is very dangerous _ on the roads? actually, it is very dangerous for - on the roads? actually, it is very dangerous for anyone i on the roads? actually, it is| very dangerous for anyone in the city to go out of their homes, because there is some fighting still taking place around the city, and the air strikes are still targeting many areas. so, we have shared some awareness messages to the people to stay at their homes until the situation starts getting better. i have been speaking to a doctor at the london school of economics with a family in aleppo at the moment. tiara

economics with a family in aleppo at the moment. two days auo, aleppo at the moment. two days aao, the aleppo at the moment. two days ago. they were — aleppo at the moment. two days ago, they were worried _ aleppo at the moment. two days ago, they were worried about - ago, they were worried about what is going to happen, the ambiguity, the sudden change, how the regime let them down, and today they are worried about the bombardment because of fear. ~ ., ., , about the bombardment because offear. ~ ., ., , ., of fear. what do they and others. — of fear. what do they and others. if _ of fear. what do they and others, if you _ of fear. what do they and others, if you don't - of fear. what do they and others, if you don't mind | others, if you don't mind commenting, in general, think about this rebel group, the hds that has taken over aleppo and is moving south?— is moving south? third group that went _ is moving south? third group that went into _ is moving south? third group that went into aleppo - is moving south? third group that went into aleppo is - is moving south? third group that went into aleppo is a - that went into aleppo is a coalition, and at the head of the coalition is the hds, but there is also wider membership of other armed groups. hds would not be welcomed in aleppo, i would would not be welcomed in aleppo, iwould never would not be welcomed in aleppo, i would never be. would not be welcomed in aleppo, iwould never be. it would not be welcomed in aleppo, i would never be. it is a jihadist extreme mentality, which does not have a place in the city of aleppo or any other city in syria. it was able to take over the city militarily, and the regime withdrew, the iranian forces withdrew, but it will not be able to govern. aleppo is very diverse and open—minded, and we would never

accept those guys coming in and trying to run their lives, the hospitals, the bakeries, the water. there is an opportunity now for the people of aleppo to come forward and take charge of the specific governance of their city, and say to these guys, you stay and pay. you may have the guns, but you're not going to be able to run our lives, and we will not like you. lives, and we will not like ou. ~ ., ., lives, and we will not like ou. ., ., you. what do most people in think about _ you. what do most people in think about president - you. what do most people in think about president assad | you. what do most people in . think about president assad and his regime? i think about president assad and his regime?— his regime? i can speak on their behalf, _ his regime? i can speak on their behalf, but _ his regime? i can speak on their behalf, but president| their behalf, but president assad is not a popular 1525 00:12:32,73