Gino DâAcampo joked he 'played around Holly Willoughbyâs genitals' on live TV
TV chef Gino D'Acampo is facing allegations over alleged inappropriate behaviour as a resurfaced clip from This Morning shockingly sees him talk about Holly Willoughby's vagina
TV chef Gino D'Acampo is facing allegations over alleged inappropriate behaviour as a resurfaced clip from This Morning shockingly sees him talk about Holly Willoughby's vaginaVideo Loading
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Gino DâAcampo joked he âplayed around Holly Willoughbyâs genitalsâ
Gino D'Acampo once made a shocking joke about Holly Willoughby while live on air.
The TV chef has been accused of "distressing" and "sexually inappropriate" behaviour after dozens of people detailed experiences described variously as "unacceptable, distressing and horrendous". The claims to ITV News have been made over a period spanning more than 12 years.
Gino has "firmly denied" the allegations made by "dozens of people", adding that they were "deeply upsetting". Amid the allegations, a clip of Gino appearing on This Morning with Holly and Phillip Schofield in November 2021 has emerged. Gino made a very risque comment on the daytime show as he hosted a cooking segment.
He discussed the death of Ado Campeol - dubbed "the father of Tiramisu" - and decided to go through the geographical locations of cities in Italy using Holly's body as a map. While pointing to her shoulder he said: "In the Belmonte region here is where the Savoiardi biscuit comes from."
Gino used Holly's body as a map of Italy (
Image:
ITV)
He then moved to her chest and added: "On the other side is Treviso - so Treviso is where Ado came from so it could be very..." Phil quipped: "I'm really concerned if he's going to talk about Sicily," to which Gino replied: "No, Sicily's all the way down there!" He continued to refer to Holly as he said: "But your belly button - I was born in Naples which is on your side but I went to school where the Vesuvius is."
The chef continued: "So, it's more inland, so... er, I can technically say that I spent my youth training and playing around your vagina." A visibly shocked Holly exclaimed: "Oh my God!" Phil was also stunned by the comment as Gino appeared to double down on the remark.
He said: "There is nothing wrong with that. It is just a word that everybody knows and that's what I have been doing geographically." Phil turned to the camera and declared: "Morning Ofcom," as he predicted complaints about the comment. Holly also urged Gino to not try to give geography lessons again.
Holly and Phil were shocked by the comment (
Image:
ITV)
Viewers did take issue with the remark and one said: "Gino you're going over the mark #thismorning." Another added: "Wtf Gino #ThisMorning." Someone else commented: "Why is Gino so disgusting heâs not funny! Get him off TV!" A fourth wrote: "Gino is a total pig! It isn't what he said it's the fact that it was deemed ok to say it to holly live on the tv.
"Talk about vaginas all you want but don't make it personal to a married woman who is trying to do her job. It's not funny and it's not clever. #ThisMorning." Responding to the claims in their entirety in a statement to ITV News, Gino said: "I have been told by ITN news that allegations have been made about me acting inappropriately, some dating back over ten years ago.
"I have never been made aware of these matters previously and the allegations are firmly denied. I would not do anything that I thought would upset or distress anyone. This is simply not in my nature. I do not recognise the version of events being put to me. Not only have these allegations never been raised with me before, I have been repeatedly supported by executives at the highest level and was commissioned on prime-time programmes during the period in which it is now suggested I was acting inappropriately.
"I am a father, husband and have worked with well over 1,500 people on around 80 productions in my career, which I have been so proud of. I take such matters extremely seriously and the suggestion that I have acted in an improper way against is deeply upsetting."
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