Gino D’Acampo has come under fire amid allegations that he has been “sexually inappropriate behaviour” over a timespan of more than 12 years.
The 48-year-old TV chef has firmly denied these claims despite an ITV news investigation reporting that dozens of people claimed D’Acampo had made inappropriate comments, caused discomfort, and uttered sexually suggestive remarks.
As a result, Gino’s various ITV shows have been pulled from the schedule for the time being. However, it’s not the first time the dad-of-three has found himself in a controversial position in the public eye.
The Family Fortunes host previously served time behind bars when he was convicted of burgling singer Paul Young’s home in 1998 when he was 22-years-old.
His former conviction is no secret to the public with Gino never shying away from his previous mistakes before he found fame. The I’m A Celeb winner stole various expensive items from Paul’s London home including a £4,000 guitar and a platinum disc.
However, he was later caught after his DNA matched tests on cigarette butts he had carelessly dropped in Paul’s bedroom in Mill Hill, North London.
As a result Gino was sentenced to two years in prison of which he is believed to have served ten months of.
Paul, 69, had previously accepted an apology from Gino telling the Evening Standard in 2011: “I don’t hold it against him. He said it was bad and he apologised, and I did get most of the stuff back.
“Maybe he needed his wrist slapping and he got that. He said he was in a terrible place and wanted to turn his life around.”
However, Gino also stole some irreplaceable recordings of Paul’s wife Stacey during the robbery which have unfortunately never been recovered or returned.
Despite the two men previously making peace, the singer has revealed that Gino’s actions brought about some “fresh pain” for him when his wife Stacey sadly passed away from cancer in 2018.
He told the Mirror: “When Stacey went there were certain bits of music I never got back. ‘Let’s say that – and that hurt me.”
Gino’s criminal offence is what actually led to his fame as it was in prison that he decided he was going to turn his life around and decided to set up a business importing Italian ingredients to restaurants, supermarkets and manufacturers in the UK.
The success of this saw him landing opportunities on TV shows as a chef before he became a household name thanks to his I’m A Celebrity win as King of the Jungle in 2009.
However, Gino has landed himself in trouble once again now after being accused of “sexually inappropriate behaviour” over a period of 12 years.
The chef’s actions have been described by dozens of people as “unacceptable”, “distressing” and “horrendous”, according to an investigation by ITV News.
Gino has firmly denied all these allegations, telling ITV: “I 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.”