'Not a free pass': Gregg Wallace and his autism 'excuse'

Gregg Wallace has been criticised by charities and commentators after linking fresh allegations of misconduct to his autism diagnosis.

Following dozens more allegations against him, including inappropriate sexual comments and groping, the presenter posted on his Instagram page that he had been diagnosed with autism, but that his managers had failed to "investigate my disability" or "protect me" from a "dangerous environment".

'Not a free pass'

Autism is "not a free pass for bad behaviour", a spokesman for the charity Neurodiversity in Business told the BBC, and Wallace's latest defence will "stigmatise" autistic people and "add an unfortunate negative focus on our community".

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His comments risk planting "a connection in people's minds" that autistic people "behave inappropriately in the workplace" or "cannot take personal responsibility", Jessie Hewitson, Director of NeuroUniverse, told the corporation.

Wallace's approach "may make sense to his lawyers", said Hewitson in The i Paper, but for the public and the "autistic community", it will "go down like a lead balloon".

Hewitson, who is herself autistic, doesn't agree with Wallace's statement because while companies like the BBC should "support" their neurodivergent employees, it "isn't a free pass" to behave badly and could "lead some people to make an association" between autism and "inappropriate" workplace behaviour.

It "shouldn't need pointing out", said Victoria Richards in The Independent, but "demonising an entire group" as "common perpetrators" of inappropriate behaviour "only stigmatises us further". Neurodivergent people "know right from wrong" in the workplace just as well as neurotypical people.

In fact, most neurodivergent people "spend so much time masking" – or struggling to act "normal" around other people – that they are "hyper-aware" of "social norms and situations".

'Opportunities were missed'

A report on the behaviour of the former presenter has substantiated 45 allegations made against him, including claims of inappropriate sexual language and one incident of unwelcome physical contact.

The BBC confirmed Wallace would not be returning and admitted "opportunities were missed" to deal with his conduct.

But employers legally need to offer some measure of support to neurodivergent employees, said Samantha Dickinson, equality and diversity partner at law firm Mayo Wynne Baxter, on Personnel Today, even if their behaviour is "socially awkward".

"Autism doesn't excuse harm, but it does demand understanding. That's not an indulgence. It's the law."

Ultimately, the Wallace case shows "there's no substitute for managers or board members actually managing", said Gaby Hinsliff in The Guardian. By "drawing red lines around what is acceptable, and then enforcing it from top to bottom", it is possible to ensure "everyone – no matter how senior or junior, how good or bad at reading a room – knows where they stand".