Kim reveals why she has gone public with her claims on the TV chef

SCANDAL-hit telly chef Gino D’Acampo is a “full-of-himself little pig”, his ex-I’m A Celeb campmate Kim Woodburn claims.

Kim became the first named person to speak out about the Italian as ITV yesterday pulled re-runs of his shows amid accusations of sexually inappropriate behaviour.

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Kim Woodburn, pictured with Gino D’Acampo, blasted the telly chef’s behaviour on I’m A Celeb in 2009Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

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ITV showman Gino gets close to Amy Childs on Let’s Do LunchCredit: Shutterstock Editorial

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Gino appeared on Loose Women, where he hugged Denise Welch while she performed in 2011Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

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Gino was a regular on This Morning, pictured with Holly WilloughbyCredit: Rex
Runner-up to jungle king Gino in 2009, she said he made her feel uncomfortable during the series by stroking his privates over his shorts — and even talking to it.

She also alleged he cheated in a Bushtucker trial, swore at crew and was escorted off set.

ITV hid his behaviour and gave him a “great edit”, she claimed.

Kim said: “He was a horrible, vile man. A full-of-himself little pig.

“His language to the crew was disgusting. He cheated, called this producer a ‘f***ing bastard’ and ‘c***’, then refused to leave the set.

“We had to stop filming while two men took him by the arm and forced him off the set back to the camp. They should have thrown him off the show. Ghastly it was.

“He treated crew like garbage, he didn’t care. He’s reduced many people to tears over the years.”

ITV News this week said it had uncovered damning allegations of inappropriate and intimidating behaviour against Gino, 48.

He denies any wrongdoing.

Speaking of their time in the Australian jungle, Kim, 82, told The Sun: “He used to stand over a log and stroke his privates over his shorts. He’d talk to his penis saying, ‘I know you haven’t had any sex, but when you get out of here, you will get so much’.

“He would say his privates were being deprived and neglected, and his wife would give him a good seeing to when he got home. We would all just turn away. It made me uncomfortable because it was vile and crude. It’s not appropriate to do that in front of women. But Gino thinks he can do what he wants.”

Kim added: “ITV were wrong to keep him on that set, and then he goes and wins. He got a great edit.

“ITV know they covered up that he cheated, and it doesn’t surprise me to hear they have been covering up his other bad behaviour that has taken over the years.

“They’re a disgrace. What is wrong with these TV execs?”

Yesterday it was alleged that Gino made disgusting sexual jibes to female colleagues — with dozens coming forward to complain about their “unacceptable, distressing and horrendous” experiences working with him over 12 years.

One woman claims he told her in front of crew on set that he would “like to turn me over and f*** me up the **** against the kitchen counter.”

Kim said: ‘People like him, they treat crew like filth, they’re rotten pigs and they’re all so sweet on camera. It’s horrible’Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

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Kim and Gino with their jungle campmates in 2009Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

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Gino and wife Jessica on the slopes on a recent holidayCredit: Instagram
Gino has denied all the allegations, saying: “I do not recognise the version of events being put to me.”

In I’m A Celeb series nine, TV’s Queen of Clean Kim hugged Gino as he was crowned champ. But she insists there is no love lost.

She added: “People like him, they treat crew like filth, they’re rotten pigs and they’re all so sweet on camera. It’s horrible.

“The crew all hated him and the cast suffered him. They put up with him, mostly because he was cooking all the food and you’re lucky to have a chef in the jungle but he brought nothing else at all.”

Things came to a head when Gino was sent to do a Bushtucker trial with Kim, model Sam Fox, actor George Hamilton and former EastEnders actress Lucy Benjamin.

Kim said: “We were all in this Jacuzzi-type thing full of water with a wheel. There were these little flags which weren’t allowed to touch the water, and suddenly this crew member shouted, ‘Gino, you’re out! You’re cheating’.

People like him, they treat crew like filth, they’re rotten pigs and they’re all so sweet on camera. It’s horrible

Kim Woodburn

“All these people in suits came out to look at the footage and there it was, we could all see he had cheated. But Gino started effing and jeffing, using the c-word, calling this one young male crew member ‘a piece of s***’.

“Gino refused to leave and we couldn’t continue filming, so these two guys came in, took one arm each, and forced him off.

“He was swearing and cursing and kicking at the men, until you couldn’t hear him anymore.

“None of that was shown on TV and he should have been thrown out there and then. But when we got back to camp, he was there and nothing more was said.

“I mean, you have to blame ITV for this going on don’t you? They had all seen him at his worst, his vilest, and darn me, he goes and wins the thing.

“Was it rigged? It was odd. Damned odd. They deliberately cut all this stuff out and let him win.

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Masterchef chiefs’ investigation into Gregg Wallace’s on-set behaviour has formally begun
“If they had shown what he was really like, he never would have got a job on telly. I think ITV protected him for all these years because he brings in the money.

“I think they also saw he would be attractive for women watching him, this handsome Italian chef.”

Kim is now calling for a full ITV investigation — similar to its probe into Phillip Schofield, and the investigation MasterChef producers Banijay are carrying out into axed host Gregg Wallace.

Kim said: “I don’t think Gino should work on TV again.

“It’s about time we stood up for the crew’s rights. They need to be able to take people to court when they are being treated badly. They’re treated like slaves. We need to stop this bullying.”

Explaining why she has gone public with her claims, Kim said she is too long in the tooth to worry about keeping TV bosses sweet.

Don’t deny you’ve done all this, bow out like the gentleman that you’re not, and apologise. Your cocky, arrogant rude ways, and the way you have treated the crew, have caught up with you

Kim Woodburn

She said: “Listen, I’m nearly 83, I’ve got a lot of money, I own a big house and I’ve got a smashing husband. I don’t need to work, so this is the only time I can do it. What have I got to lose?”

Addressing the chef directly, Kim said: “Thank your lucky stars Gino that you’ve been on top money for all these years because you didn’t deserve it. There are a lot of better presenters than you and you can retire comfortably, which is more than some of the crew can do.

“Don’t deny you’ve done all this, bow out like the gentleman that you’re not, and apologise.

“Your cocky, arrogant rude ways, and the way you have treated the crew, have caught up with you.

“I am delighted and I’m sorry it didn’t happen sooner.”

Gino has three children with wife Jessica.

I am delighted and I’m sorry it didn’t happen sooner

Kim Woodburn

He has hosted several prime-time ITV shows, including Let’s Do Lunch with co-host Mel Sykes.

Ex-Towie star Amy Childs was a guest in 2012.

Gino was a regular on This Morning, and appeared on Loose Women, where he hugged Denise Welch while she performed in 2011.

ITV has confirmed two repeat episodes of Gino’s Italy: Secrets of the South this weekend will not air.

And episodes he hosted of Family Fortunes, filmed in 2023, have also been axed from the schedules.

Last year, ITV set up a ­complaints-handling unit and introduced conduct guidelines for on-screen personalities.

The broadcaster was approached for comment.