A look at Gino D’Acampo’s meteoric rise – as he denies allegations against him | Ents & Arts News

Gino D’Acampo has “firmly” denied allegations of inappropriate and intimidating behaviour on the sets of his TV shows.

The chef’s actions, over a period of more than 12 years, were described by dozens of people as “unacceptable”, “distressing” and “horrendous”, according to an investigation by ITV News.

Denying all the allegations, D’Acampo told ITV he “would not do anything that I thought would upset or distress anyone”.

He added: “I am a father, husband… the suggestion that I have acted in an improper way against is deeply upsetting.”

With over 25 years of presenting experience, D’Acampo is one of the most recognisable chefs on TV. He also has numerous cookbooks and restaurants to his name. But how has his career unfolded?

Who is he?

Born in Torre del Greco, Naples, in southern Italy, D’Acampo learned to cook from his grandfather, according to his official website.

He went on to train at Luigi De Medici catering college in Florence and made the move to London at the age of 18.

His love of food led to him starting and co-owning Bonta Italia in 2003, which imports Italian produce to restaurants, supermarkets and manufacturers in the UK.

This led to him appearing as a guest on the Good Food television channel and since 2009, he has been a regular on cooking segments on ITV’s This Morning.

Using what his website describes as “cheeky wit”, the chef soon became known for his risqué comments and sexual innuendos.

Also in 2009 the chef headed into the Australian jungle for I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, where he was crowned king of the jungle, narrowly beating TV personality Kim Woodburn.

Family life

D’Acampo has been married to Jessica Stellina Morrison for nearly 25 years.

The pair reportedly met when they were teenagers while they were both working at a restaurant in Marbella.

They have three children together – Luciano, Rocci, and Mia.

Television career

Proving popular with viewers, D’Acampo started to host his own cookery shows, including Gino’s Italian Escape, which over a number of series, sees him travelling around Italy in search of authentic recipes from his homeland.

He also paired up with model Melanie Sykes for ITV’s Lets Do Lunch in 2011, which saw him cook three recipes each episode while a celebrity guest be interviewed.

In 2017, D’Acampo went head-to-head with fellow chef Gordon Ramsay and maitre d’hotel Fred Sirieix to produce a festive menu for people who work in the emergency services.

The trio were a hit and reunited for travel and food series Gordon, Gino and Fred’s Ultimate Road Trip. Subsequent series of the show saw them travel across America, Greece and Spain.

Most recently, the trio became a duo, with D’Acampo and Sirieix returning for Gino & Fred: Emission Impossible, which sees the pair visit Austria to track down sustainable produce and immerse themselves in environmentally friendly lifestyles.

In 2020, the chef became the face of long-running game show Family Fortunes, after it was revived after 17 years.

The latest series, which was filmed in 2023, is not currently scheduled for broadcast and ITV has no plans to work with D’Acampo, ITV News reported.

Restaurants and cookbooks

Away from presenting, D’Acampo has seven restaurants across the UK including in Manchester, London, Liverpool and Leeds.

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Throughout his career he has published 20 cookbooks, ranging from one directly aimed at getting children into cooking and another which uses recipes that can all be made using an air fryer.

The chef also partnered with supermarket chain Asda in 2021 to release a range of 75 products including cookware, homeware, and appliances.