ITV attempting to ‘weed out’ inappropriate behaviour amid Gino D’Acampo allegations: ‘This is a really big deal’
ITV are “trying to weed out” inappropriate behaviour and “want to avoid another Phillip Schofield case” amid the allegations against star Gino D’Acampo, it has been claimed.
D’Acampo, 48, is facing more than 40 complaints of “inappropriate sexual behaviour” to the broadcaster, spanning more than 10 years.
The TV presenter issued a statement via his legal team, “categorically denying” the allegations of “inappropriate sexual behaviour”.
As a result of the allegations, ITV has pulled a series of the TV chef’s shows from its schedule, including episodes of Family Fortunes filmed in 2023 which will now never be aired.
Discussing the allegations on GB News, Showbiz Journalist Julie Ann Trainor claimed it is “not a good time at all” for D’Acampo and the investigation is a “really big deal”.
Trainor told GB News: “All the shows have been axed, including reruns. Over 40 people have filed complaints against him, and he’s one of ITV’s biggest stars. He’s been on TV for two decades and he’s been the face of several TV shows.
“He has restaurants up and down the country, he has cookery books, so this is a really big deal, the fact that ITV have dramatically sacked him.”
Detailing some of the allegations made by female workers, Trainor claimed that the This Morning star allegedly “opened the door to a young female colleague in nothing but his underwear”.
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Trainor revealed: “Some of these complaints, which he denies, include opening the door to a young female colleague in nothing but his underwear and pointing towards his groin, along with commenting on a female colleague’s breasts and also threatening to have sex with a colleague’s girlfriend.
“So that’s just an indication as to some of the allegations against him.”
Weighing in on the allegations, host Anne Diamond argued that ITV could be perceived a “hypocritical” for acting on such complaints after “encouraging” his persona on several shows.
Anne suggested: “Isn’t ITV being a little bit hypocritical at the moment because their very USP, the way they’ve pushed his personality and encouraged him to push his personality is risque, and then to suddenly uncover allegations that he was risque and maybe took it too far is possibly hypocritical?”
Disagreeing with Anne, Trainor hit back: “I don’t think it’s hypocritical. I just think they possibly don’t want another Phillip Schofield case on their hands or even a Gregg Wallace case, and they want to weed out this kind of behaviour and set an example.
“And of course it’s a sign of the times that are changing, these kind of sexual innuendos and cheeky chappy remarks are no longer accepted in the workplace, and people deserve to be treated with professionalism.”
On Thursday night, ITV released a statement which read: “The standards of behaviour that ITV expects are very clear.
“Everyone working with ITV is subject to ITV’s Code of Ethics and Conduct. At ITV we treat everyone with courtesy, fairness, dignity and respect and do not tolerate abusive behaviour of any form in the workplace.
“All of the concerns and complaints raised by those who have spoken to ITN 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.”