This Morning chef Gino D’Acampo has been accused of “sexually inappropriate” behaviour over a period spanning more than 12 years and has firmly denied the allegations
Gino D’Acampo’s ITV shows have been pulled from the schedule after claims of “sexually inappropriate” behaviour.
The 48-year-old This Morning star and TV chef faces allegations from “dozens” of people spanning a period of more than 12 years. His alleged behaviour has been described as “unacceptable, distressing and horrendous”.
The accusations emerged from a probe by ITV News and come from people who allegedly worked with Gino. Gino has “firmly denied” the allegations and said they are “deeply upsetting”.
ITV have now dropped two episodes of Gino’s Italy: Secrets of the South originally due to air at the weekend. They were going to air between 6pm and 7pm on Sunday on ITVBe, but now it’s been replaced by Abbey Clancy: Celebrity Homes.
Family Fortunes, another of Gino’s shows, will also reportedly not air and ITV News reports that episodes filmed in 2023 won’t ever be broadcasted. The episodes were expected to air this Spring but now is believed there are “no plans” to work with Gino again.
One woman claimed she received vulgar comments from Gino in 2011. She alleged Mr D’Acampo said he would “like to turn me over and f*** me up the a*** against the kitchen counter.” She claimed crew members laughed after he made the comment.
She says she saw the “shock” and “horror”, claiming his alleged behaviour made her feel “very, very, very small”. Speaking to an ITV News Correspondent, the lady shared: “I definitely saw it as some kind of power play. The very act of what he said was aggressive. He did not think that was an inappropriate thing to say to me.”
Responding to the claims, Gino told ITV News: “I have been told by ITN news that allegations have been made about me acting inappropriately, some dating back over ten years ago. I have never been made aware of these matters previously and the allegations are firmly denied. I would not do anything that I thought would upset or distress anyone. This is simply not in my nature. I do not recognise the version of events being put to me.
“Not only have these allegations never been raised with me before, I have been repeatedly supported by executives at the highest level and was commissioned on prime-time programmes during the period in which it is now suggested I was acting inappropriately. I am a father, husband and have worked with well over 1,500 people on around 80 productions in my career, which I have been so proud of. I take such matters extremely seriously and the suggestion that I have acted in an improper way against is deeply upsetting.”
Another woman claimed to the probe: “He opened the door in his boxer shorts, nothing else. And jumped on the bed and was sort of – leg up.” The woman said that she felt “disgusted” after having to “sit there” looking at Gino who allegedly made a reference to his penis, saying: “It’s only small.”
Denying the allegations, Gino’s legal representatives said: “This allegation from almost 15 years ago has never, until now via a media request for comment, been raised or put to Mr D’Acampo. He does not recall it, nor accept that this happened. Mr D’Acampo is horrified to be accused of ‘power play’ and an ‘aggressive act’. He emphatically and unequivocally denies these allegations.”
They added: “Mr D’Acampo categorically denies these allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour. To his knowledge no such allegations have been made against him in relation to his time on ‘Gino’s Italian Express’ and this is the first time, six years later, he has been informed of these alleged incidents, and he does not accept them, not least because some of this is considered by Mr D’Acampo to be a fabricated work of fiction.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
