ITV News allegedly spoke to “dozens” of people for a reporting alleging “unacceptable” conduct from the TV chef.

TV chef Gino D’Acampo has denied allegations from multiple women of “inappropriate and intimidating” behaviour.

On Thursday evening, ITV News published an investigation in which they said they’d spoken to “dozens” of people who described working with the Italian presenter as “unacceptable,” “distressing” and “horrendous”.

“I have never been made aware of these matters previously and the allegations are firmly denied,” the This Morning contributor said in a statement. “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.”

He added: “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.”

D’Acampo last appeared on This Morning in October 2024

Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock

As part of ITV News’ report, one woman alleged that D’Acampo had made a highly sexualised comment towards her while working on a photo-shoot in 2011, which she described as “aggressive”.

His legal team has insisted: “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 alleged that he made repeated reference to his genitals after he answered the door for a briefing in his underwear, while filming the travel show Gino’s Italian Express on location.

His legal team responded: “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’ report details several other alleged incidents in which D’Acampo is said to have made inappropriate and sexually explicit comments to members of production staff over a prolonged period, all of which he has refuted.

“No-one has ever made these complaints to Mr D’Acampo,” his lawyers insisted.

“Mr D’Acampo does not recall making any of these comments, nor does he accept that they were made.”

An ITV rep said it was “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”.

They added: “All of the concerns and complaints [in ITV News’ report] describe behaviour which is inappropriate and unacceptable.

“Most of them were not reported to ITV at the time. Where issues have been raised with ITV action has been taken.”

D’Acampo’s broadcasting career began in the mid-2000s, when he began judging on cookery shows like Too Many Cooks and Soapstar Superchef.

In 2009, he began regularly contributing to This Morning, which was the same year he was crowned the winner of I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!.

Since then, he has presented shows like Let’s Do Lunch With Gino And Mel, Gino’s Italian Escape and Gordon, Gino And Fred: Road Trip.

He was also a team captain on the ITV2 panel show Celebrity Juice and has presented the game show Family Fortunes since 2020.