TV Chef Accused of Inappropriate Behavior: Gino D’Acampo Denies the Claims

Popular television chef Gino D’Acampo faces multiple allegations of misconduct spanning over a decade, as dozens of former colleagues come forward with claims of inappropriate and aggressive behavior on set. The 48-year-old celebrity chef has strongly denied all accusations through his legal team, describing them as “deeply upsetting,” per The Guardian.

An investigation by ITV News revealed numerous complaints from individuals who worked with D’Acampo across various productions, including Gordon, Gino and Fred’s Road Trip and Gino’s Italian Express. The allegations describe behavior characterized as “unacceptable” and “distressing” by those making the claims, with many accusers being freelancers who feared reporting incidents would risk future employment, reports the BBC.

Responding to the accusations, D’Acampo issued a statement to ITV News saying, “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.” The chef emphasized his extensive career, noting he has “worked with well over 1,500 people on around 80 productions” which he has “been so proud of.”

One woman alleged D’Acampo made sexualized comments during a 2011 magazine shoot, describing it as “some kind of power play” and noting that “the very act of what he said was aggressive.” His legal team responded that he “does not recall it, nor accept that this happened” and is “horrified to be accused of ‘power play’ and an ‘aggressive act,’” according to the BBC.

The allegations have prompted immediate action from broadcasters, with ITV pulling reruns of D’Acampo’s shows from their schedule. Production companies associated with his programs have launched reviews into the claims, with Objective Media Group acknowledging an email from last year that detailed “unacceptable and distressing” behavior by the chef.

D’Acampo’s legal team has categorically denied all allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior, stating that many of the claims are being brought to their client’s attention “for the first time” and some are considered “a fabricated work of fiction.”

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has labeled the allegations “deeply concerning,” emphasizing that “everybody should be treated with dignity and respect in the workplace.” The culture secretary has engaged with the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority to address industry-wide concerns about workplace harassment.

These accusations follow D’Acampo’s rise to prominence in British television, which began in the early 2000s and accelerated after his victory on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2009. He has since become a familiar face on ITV’s programming, hosting various cooking shows and entertainment programs.

ITV stated that while “most of them were not reported to ITV at the time,” any issues that were raised resulted in action being taken. The broadcaster added that it has “strengthened” policies regarding expected standards from production companies in the last five years.

The allegations against D’Acampo come amid increased scrutiny of behavior in the television industry, following recent accusations against other high-profile figures. Production companies involved, including Studio Ramsay and MultiStory Media, have emphasized their commitment to investigating all claims thoroughly, with MultiStory Media stating they are “reviewing the concerns which have been raised, what was known at the time and what action was taken” while noting it would be “inappropriate to go into the detail of individual concerns.”