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Gino D’Acampo has made a controversial return to the limelight after he was axed from ITV due to allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
The former This Morning star, 48, was chopped from ITV programming at the end of last year after facing a string of claims of sexually inappropriate and intimidating behaviour made against him.
These included reports that while he worked on his food-focused travel show with Gordon Ramsay and Fred Sirieix he ‘quizzed a producer about her sex life and thrust his crotch at another female staffer.’
The allegations stem from dozens of people over a 12-year period across various shows. D’Acampo has ‘firmly denied’ the ‘deeply upsetting’ claims.
In his first radio interview since these allegations have come to light, D’Acampo appeared on Maltese radio station Vibe FM where he delivered several lewd remarks to the female presenter Nicole.
During the discussion he started quizzing Nicole on why she diets to which Nicole responded that she was trying to build up her abs.
D’Acampo then said: ‘“Only dogs like bones. A real man, he wants the meat, you know, the things to grab. Don’t get too skinny, otherwise it’s like, no.’
Elsewhere, he said: ‘I’m going to tell you a secret, Italian food is like Italian men, minimum effort, maximum satisfaction,’ which elicited raucous laughter.
He then addressed Nicole, asking: ‘Now do you understand that Nicole, or do I need to explain that?” to which she replied: ‘I think it was very clear.’
At one point he also told her she was ‘too pretty for radio’.
And when asked if he recognised one of the male guests in the studio joked whether he knew his mum before adding: ‘Did I take your mama out for dinner or something?
‘I meet a lot of people and usually the ones I remember are blonde, they’re tall – we do an activity together.’
The innuendo-filled radio interview comes after the Italian celebrity chef teased his comeback to TV on social media at the end of March.
He shared a series of snaps of himself behind the camera dressed up in a navy boiler suit in a garage.
Then, last week, he shared more footage from his work behind the camera on a new show with the caption: ‘Back in action! And this time I am behind the camera. Can you guess what famous southern Italian bread we are baking?’
The ITV presenter has seen support from the likes of Celebrity Juice star Leigh Francis aka Keith Lemon, John Barrowman and former This Morning co-star Josie Gibson who have all liked recent posts.
In a full statement to MailOnline, D’Acampo said: ‘I have been completely shocked by, and deny utterly, these awful accusations of sexual harassment and misconduct against me, which are alleged to have taken place years ago during the shooting of Gordon, Gino & Fred.
‘Let me be clear: This did not happen. I take such matters extremely seriously and in particular the suggestion that I have deliberately acted in this improper way against any female employees is deeply upsetting.’
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