The star spoke out after allegations of misconduct against Gino came to light last week

GINO D’ACampo has been supported by former Coronation Street star Vicky Entwhistle, accusing ITV of a “woke agenda”.

The celebrity chef, who was famed for appearances on This Morning, Family Fortunes, and travel shows with Fred Sirieix and Gordon Ramsey, was accused of “sexually inappropriate behaviour” in an exposé last week.

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Vicky Entwhistle says the “woke agenda” of ITV “left Gino out to dry”

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Gino has been accused of sexually inappropriate behaviourCredit: Rex
It’s since been claimed that producers were first alerted to his behaviour over a decade ago with complaints by the team.

But Vicky, who shot to fame as Janice Battersby on the ITV soap from 1997 to 2011, has called out the network for only stepping in now, saying the channel “played him for all it was worth”.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Vicky posted a photo of Gino alongside a statement that read: “I don’t know this man personally, therefore have no reason to stick my neck out in his defence.

“BUT!! ITV played that man for all he was worth… cheeky, naughty, foreign, hilarious!!!

“It all fitted in 10 years ago… now with a new WOKE agenda they crucify him?!???”

This is not the first time Vicky has called out ITV for behaviour behind the scenes, previously accusing Coronation Street for being “like a cult” and forcing her to shave her head.

Speaking in December, in posts that were later deleted, Vicky slammed her time on the show and wrote: “Everyone thinks it’s a soap opera but actually it’s a tightly gripped cult!!!

“My husband begged me to leave two years before. He hated the controlling environment,” she added.

“When I finally left we cried. The freedom was electric.”

She also slammed the show in April 2024 for a storyline involving on-screen daughter Toyah Battersby (played by Georgia Taylor) having to face the secret dead baby she had with her rapist in 2001 being dug up by the council.

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The furious actress wrote on X: “Well we tried to make our moments as real as they could possible be, didn’t we Bruce?!’ she began.

“I guess we failed. Who knew [that] digging up dead babies would become the highlight of ITV’s tea time slot!!!”

Gino’s Story So Far

The exposé against Gino was initially an investigation by ITV News, with allegations from those who have come forward spanning more than 14 years.

One woman, who remained anonymous, alleges Gino told her he would “like to turn me over and f*** me up the a*** against the kitchen counter”.

She told ITV News the experience made her feel “very, very, very small” but claimed Gino appeared protected.

Another claimed she felt Gino’s behaviour was “aggressive” and claims he once opened the door to her just in his boxer shorts.

Gino’s statement in full

“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.”

“[He] jumped on the bed and was sort of – leg up,” she claimed. “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.”

ITV News said it had seen evidence at least one production company was aware of concerns made by its crew.

ITV has cut all ties with D’Acampo, 48, after “over 40 people” have come forward following the investigation, dropping planned episodes of Family Fortunes and other shows he was set to star on.

Gino has adamantly denied all the claims made against him, with his legal team saying in a statement: “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.”

He has since continued to work – even sharing a video of him meeting and hugging fans as he sold his new cookbook.

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Vicky posted a photo and statement on X on Monday after the allegations came to lightCredit: Twitter / @vicky_entwistle

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The star is best known for playing Janice Battersby on Coronation StreetCredit: Handout