Gino D'Acampo denies allegations of inappropriate behaviour
Gino D'Acampo has denied dozens of allegations of inappropriate behaviour spanning over 12 years.
Gino D'Acampo has denied dozens of allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
The 'Family Fortunes' host has been accused of "unacceptable", "distressing" and "horrendous" conduct while working on a variety of projects over a period of more than 12 years, but he has "firmly" rebuffed the "deeply upsetting" claims.
A number of people spoke anonymously to ITV News about the 48-year-old chef's alleged behaviour.
One woman, identified only as Hannah, alleged D'Acampo made a sexual comment towards her during a magazine shoot in 2011, which sparked a "ripple of laughs" while people next to her "looked nervously into their cups of tea".
She claimed he told her he would "like to turn me over and f*** me up the a*** against the kitchen counter", leaving her feeling a sense of "horror" and "shock".
She added: "I definitely saw it as some kind of power play. The very act of what he said was aggressive...
"[I felt] very, very, very small...I felt like Gino, in that moment, was very entitled and he felt very safe. He did not think that was an inappropriate thing to say to me."
The TV star's lawyer responded in a statement: “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” .
Another woman, Natalie, recalled briefing D'Acampo about a location shoot several years later and his alleged behaviour left her feeling "disgusted" and considering leaving her job.
She said: "He opened the door in his boxer shorts, nothing else. And jumped on the bed and was sort of - leg up.
"We had to sort of sit there facing him and he made, you know, reference to his d***, basically saying, ‘Oh, don't worry, it's only small’, and sort of flicking it."
When asked how that made her feel, she said: "Disgusted. I think he feels he's in a position of power and he can say and do what he wants. I see it all as quite aggressive, really.
"I didn't want to do [my job] anymore. Didn't want to do the production, didn't want to be anywhere near him."
And in a further statement, the 'This Morning' cook's team said: “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."
ITV News alleged Objective Media Group, who make 'Gordon, Gino and Fred's Road Trip', were made aware of "unacceptable and distressing" behaviour by D’Acampo in 2018, when a meeting took place as a result.
They saw an email sent in December 2024 which followed up on the 2018 meeting and included comments allegedly made by the chef, such as describing someone as a "bitter middle aged woman who needed to get laid" and declaring he was "so hungry I could eat somebody's t***".
The response from the company to the email said D'Acampo was "spoken to about the differences between on screen character material and behaviour off screen with members of the team" but acknowledged "issues arose" on 2023's 'Emission Impossible', which led to a "complte and thorough process" being followed.
ITV insisted they were unaware of the 2018 allegations and said: “We can categorically confirm that this kind of behaviour is not tolerated by ITV."
And D'Acamp's lawyers insisted he wasn't aware of any complaints.
They said in a statement: "These allegations from six years ago are said to have been made in an email from December 2024 to Objective Media Group which Mr D’Acampo has not seen.
"The first time that Mr D’Acampo became aware of these allegations was via ITN’s request for comment and, even then, no context has been provided for any of these statements.
"No-one has ever made these complaints to Mr D’Acampo. Mr D’Acampo does not recall making any of these comments, nor does he accept that they were made. They include language that he would not use, such as the word 'middle aged woman'".
But Objective Media Group insisted he had been spoken to.
When his response was put back to them, a spokesperson said: "As we made clear in our earlier statement, Gino D'Acampo was spoken to regarding his off-screen behaviour. Bespoke training was then provided and completed".
The 'Gino's Italian Escape' host insisted he would never "do anything I thought would upset or distress anyone".
He said in a full statement: “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."
