S Poddar
Gino D’Acampo, known for being a successful chef and having won I’m A Celebrity. Get Me Out of Here!, has been reportedly under growing pressures from ITV, who allege that he is being “sidelined” by the network, following accusations of inappropriate behaviour that led to his removal from several ITV projects.
D’Acampo, who has been a mainstay on This Morning and featured alongside Gordon Ramsay and Fred Sirieix in the Gordon, Gino & Fred: Road Trip series, is claimed to have been axed after refusing to agree to a “morality clause” in his contract, designed to enforce strict behavior among participants, something which D’Acampo apparently opposed, adding to ITV chiefs’ already strained relationships with him.
According to reports, ITV bosses were seriously worried about his behavior and had to put him on a behavioral and language course. While the details of these incidents are not too clear, people close to the situation have spoken out about D’Acampo’s behavior on set. According to a report in The Sun, there were a few incidents that caused alarm. One of the most worrying incidents was that D’Acampo was said to have flashed some crew members on the set of Emission Impossible, a new show he was doing with Fred Sirieix. His sporran, which he had amusingly named “Justin Beaver,” was said to have been used in the incidents, and filming was stopped right away, and D’Acampo was called upon to be trained on better behavior. The available sources suggest that most colleagues liked Gino, but during the recent past, his pranks have slowly turned out to be much unbearable, mainly in professional contexts.
His career graph at ITV has also been on a decline. Although he is a favourite on This Morning, D’Acampo was seen on the show only twice in 2024, and his dating show Cooking Up Love got canceled after two episodes only. But he is still scheduled to appear on Family Fortunes next year. The filming of the show has already been done.
To this end, an ITV spokesperson issued a statement stating that the network is committed to making sure that all individuals who are involved in the production are respected and protected. The statement emphasized the broadcaster’s serious position regarding maintaining conduct standards. Complaints or concerns regarding inappropriate behavior are always investigated, the statement maintained. It also made a reference to an earlier “KC Review,” which scrutinized ITV’s inner workings and prompted the development of Conduct and Standards Guidelines for on-air personalities.
Despite these professional challenges, D’Acampo has continued to work with Fred Sirieix, most recently on the series Gino and Fred’s Emission Impossible. The show, in which the duo attempts to “go green,” was initially well-received. However, Gino’s departure from Gordon, Gino & Fred: Road Trip earlier in 2023 sparked speculation about tensions between the chefs, especially given that the show is produced by Ramsay’s production company, Studio Ramsay.
To kill rumors that he had a falling out with Ramsay, D’Acampo spoke out publicly and explained that his reason for leaving the show was due to a contract dispute rather than personal differences. He further added that the contract was so complicated that it caused him stress and he valued his friendships with Ramsay and Sirieix too much to let business issues come between them. “I would rather the friendship than arguments with the contract,” he said, reiterating his wish to be in good terms with his fellow workers.
The changing balance between D’Acampo and ITV raises questions about whether his career with the network is here to stay. He is an iconic figure on British television, but the controversies around his behavior may have serious repercussions on his professional status. It would set a precedence on how to deal with such issues for ITV and in the future how other cases of this nature will be dealt with. It is bound to continue holding trainings and reviews of productions to keep up with standards.
As of yet, there have been no comments from D’Acampo himself, while the representatives from ITV refuse to give information about ongoing investigations or decisions concerning his further stay at the network. Nevertheless, some of his recent professional actions indicate that, while ITV may well be re-considering its association with him, D’Acampo is hardly a fading star in the firmament of entertainment.
Yet whether it makes a difference in the longer term to D’Acampo’s position at ITV or, indeed, whether his future opportunities are affected by it only time will tell. One thing is for sure: in the meantime, fans, as well as industry sources, will be watching keenly as new evidence keeps popping out.
