Gino D'Acampo caught in harassment storm as celebrity chef is accused of 'thrusting crotch' at woman while filming for ITV

Celebrity chef Gino D'Acampo was facing fresh harassment claims last night after former colleagues accused him of making lewd gestures and suggestive remarks while filming for ITV.

Sources on his foodie travel show Gordon, Gino & Fred: Road Trip allege he quizzed a producer about her sex life and thrust his crotch at another female staffer.

Insiders at Gordon Ramsay's company Studio Ramsay, which made the show, also claim the flamboyant Italian was 'super difficult' to work with and upset staff by 'jokingly flashing' them.

His alleged behaviour led several staff to complain to ITV, prompting channel chiefs to summon D'Acampo's then-manager to a meeting in 2021.

Despite this, D'Acampo, 48, was allowed to appear in a further series of the show with fellow chefs Ramsay and Fred Sirieix.

According to sources on the programme, 'several complaints' were lodged about D'Acampo who continued to work on the show until quietly dropped last year.

One source said: 'It looks more and more as if there has been a cover-up by ITV and the production company.

'ITV did step in and they had a meeting with Gino's former manager where allegations of inappropriate behaviour were discussed.'

Despite a raft of lurid allegations The Mail on Sunday can reveal ITV still intends to screen a series of Family Fortunes which D'Acampo recorded earlier this year.

Meanwhile, another employee told this newspaper how they had witnessed staff struggle with D'Acampo's allegedly troubling behind-the-scenes manner. 'Endless crews, contributors and TV executives see how he behaves, grit their teeth and try to move on,' the staffer said.

'He is very touchy-feely, not in an appropriate way, and people did not like it. He's rude and difficult.' The source said he would sometimes expose himself as a joke.

'He thinks it's funny so you have to wonder whether he doesn't understand how wrong this is. He has that old-school Italian attitude where he thinks he's being funny, maybe even sexy? But he makes a lot of people feel uncomfortable.'

The Mail on Sunday revealed last year how D'Acampo's alleged behaviour left production staff feeling uncomfortable when he suddenly left Gordon, Gino & Fred: Road Trip in March 2023.

He claimed he quit because he did not want 'stressful' contract talks to ruin his friendship with his co-stars. It emerged last week, however, that he was edged out after allegedly refusing to sign a morality clause in his contract.

Separately, it has emerged that a woman lodged a complaint with ITV bosses earlier this month claiming she was a victim of D'Acampo's inappropriate behaviour over a five-year period.

The woman worked with him between 2006 and 2011 on the channel's daytime show This Morning, where he was resident chef, and on Saturday Cooks!

Also, ITV are believed to have ordered D'Acampo to complete a language and behavioural course after complaints about the way he treated female colleagues on his new show Emission Impossible.

Sources said filming was halted after crew complained he made inappropriate jokes behind the scenes. Some were allegedly offered counselling after filming of the show was complete.

Last night 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.'