Gino D’Acampo issues statement denying claims of inappropriate behaviour
Rhiannon Ingle
Featured Image Credit: ITV
Gino D’Acampo has issued a statement denying claims of inappropriate behaviour as ITV reported on his 'numerous allegations of inappropriate and intimidating behaviour'.
An ITV News investigations said that dozens of people have detailed experiences that they deemed 'unacceptable', 'distressing' and 'horrendous' while working with the 48-year-old Italian TV chef, who has made regular appearances on This Morning, over a period spanning more than 12 years.
The accusations included using sexualised and aggressive language on TV sets.
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One woman alleged D’Acampo made sexualised comments towards her while they were working on a magazine shoot in 2011.
Another woman interviewed by ITV News claimed she had witnessed him threaten a young colleague in 2019, with another two women accusing D’Acampo of making sexual remarks while working on Gordon, Gino And Fred’s Road Trip in 2018.
Responding to the claims, D'Acampo told ITV News he 'firmly denied' the allegations, adding they were 'deeply upsetting'.
D’Acampo’s legal team said in a comment issued to ITV News: "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."
His legal 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."
An ITV spokesperson said it is 'production companies who have the primary responsibility for the duty of care of everyone they work with, both on and off screen, when making shows', describing the behaviour as 'inappropriate and unacceptable'.
The spokesperson added: "Most of them (the allegations) were not reported to ITV at the time. Where issues have been raised with ITV action has been taken."
Tyla has reached out to Gino D'Acampo's representatives for further comment.