Masterchef judge Gregg Wallace is facing talks with BBC bosses over his involvement in a restaurant brawl last weekend.
The 48-year-old has so far refused to apologise for the incident, which saw him get into a fight with magazine publisher Paul Bates over his claims that the latter tried to be over-familiar with his girlfriend Anne-Marie Sterpini.
But according to the Sunday Mirror Gregg has been told he could be in danger of losing his deal with the corporation unless he says sorry.
"Gregg has been told what he did was unacceptable and he is on his last chance," a source told the paper.
The insider added that the BBC's new director general Tony Hall was clamping down on bad behaviour following recent scandals involving staff and talent, adding: "What might have been allowed to pass in the past will not be allowed in the future.
A BBC source added: “There has been a meeting called and Gregg is expected to attend. He will be expected to give his version of events and be apologetic.
“He isn’t going to be fired but he isn’t going to be told it’s OK to go around punching members of the public either.
“Staff at the BBC are expected to conduct themselves in a certain way and not go around punching people whatever they may have done.”
Reports suggested Gregg punched Bates five times in the incident, but insisted afterwards that the latter's behaviour towards Anne-Marie had been 'completely disrespectful', despite the 55-year-old denying any wrongdoing.
He said: "I'm not the sort of bloke who lets something like that go. I get very passionate about these things - I did what any bloke would do."
The incident occurred during an event which Gregg was hosting at the Wood Norton Hotel in Evesham, Worcestershire.
Gregg is currently on screens alongside John Torode in the current series of Celebrity Masterchef.
