Despite both being successful TV chefs, rather than being career rivals Gordon Ramsay and Gino D’Acampo at one time seemed ilke the best of friends, even teaming up to work together on their hit ITV show Gordon, Gino and Fred’s Road Trip.
However hints that their relationship was not all that it seemed date back to 2019 when Ramsay made no secret of his fury that his then-teenage daughter Tilly was dating D’Acampo’s son Luciano.
Both 17 at the time, the young lovebirds made headlines after meeting on the set of their fathers’ joint ITV food show, Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip, with Ramsay branding the relationship a ‘nightmare’.
His reservations are now thrown into a whole new light after the treasured friendship between the two men soured in recent months, with Ramsay even accused of ‘throwing D’Acampo under the bus’ as he battles to save his reputation amid allegations of workplace misconduct.
Indeed Ramsay, 58, has not publicly spoken out in support of his former co-star, 48, who is now facing a spate of allegations of inappropriate and intimidating behaviour made by women over a 12 year period – claims he denies.
In fact, the Mail’s Katie Hind reports it was Ramsay himself who raised concerns about D’Acampo’s behaviour two years ago, sparking the demise of their show and, ultimately, their friendship.
How Gordon Ramsay’s ‘feud’ with Gino D’Acampo was sparked by their children’s ‘nightmare’ romance as he ‘throws his former co-star under the bus’ amid misconduct allegations (pictured on Gordon, Gino & Fred: American Road Trip)
Both 17 at the time, D’Acampo’s son Luciano and Ramsay’s daughter Tilly started dating after meeting on the set of their fathers’ joint ITV food show, Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip
Both 17 at the time, the young lovebirds made headlines after meeting on the set of their fathers’ joint ITV food show, Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip.
But while Tilly seemed smitten, her father was not quite as pleased.
Asked about the romance on The Jonathan Ross show, Ramsay branded the situation a ‘f**king nightmare’, downplaying the romance by saying they were ‘just friends’ before Ross quipped ‘I think they’re more than that’, leading to laughter from the audience.
In contrast, D’Acampo was far more pleased about the budding romance, and was quick to compliment Tilly as he discussed the relationship on This Morning.
‘Tilly is beautiful,’ he said. ‘They’ve known each other for a few years now. I don’t really want to say a lot because it’s none of my business.
‘But what a great pleasure knowing my son is dating Gordon’s daughter, just to really annoy him.’
Yet Ramsay had to face up to the fact his daughter and Luciano were an item when he accidentally interrupted them on a date.
The celebrity chef joked he ‘felt sick’ when he discovered their budding romance during a FaceTime call on his show Gordon, Gino and Fred: American Road Trip.
Ramsay and D’Acampo were travelling in the car with Fred Sirieix when they video called Luciano, who revealed he was coincidentally dining at one of Gordon’s restaurants, Heddon Street Kitchen.
However the reason he was at the eatery soon became clear, as he panned the video to Tilly and said look who I’m here with, as she shouted: ‘Hey dad!’
A clearly unimpressed Ramsay said: ‘Tilly, what are you doing Matilda!?’
While Luciano explained: ‘We’re on a date, we’ve gone for dinner.’
Ramsay jumped in and said: ‘Tilly, you didn’t tell me you were going to dinner with Luciano’, while she cheekily replied: ‘Oh sorry, I must have forgot!’
Their co-host Sirieix didn’t help matters as he chimed in and said: ‘Remember guys, it’s okay to kiss on the first date!’
Asked about the romance on The Jonathan Ross show, Ramsay branded the situation a ‘f**king nightmare’ and insisted his daughter was ‘just friends’ with Luciano (pictured in 2022)
In contrast, D’Acampo was far more pleased about his son’s budding romance, and was quick to compliment Tilly as he discussed the relationship on This Morning (pictured in 2019)
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Thankfully for Ramsay, the pair’s romance quickly fizzled out and Tilly went on to find love at university with fellow student Henry Farrow. It’s not known if Luciano is in a relationship.
Ramsay and D’Acampo continued to work together, travelling Europe together for Gordon, Gino and Fred’s Road Trip.
However, D’Acampo walked away from the show in 2023 over what he claimed were ‘contract complications’ and their relationship appears to have cooled dramatically since.
Posting on Instagram, at the time, D’Acampo said: ‘I decided not to film any more Gordon, Gino and Fred Road trips. The reason is very simple – nothing to do with Gordon or Fred, the friendship is very strong’.
He added: ‘Because contracts start to become very complicated and very stressful, I personally value the friendship with Gordon and Fred so much that I would rather the friendship than arguments with the contract.
‘So I have decided not to do it anymore because I want to be friends with the boys for many, many years ahead.’
In the immediate aftermath of D’Acampo’s departure, Ramsay voiced his frustrations with his co-stars, telling Made In Chelsea star Spencer Matthews’ podcast Big Fish that they made him ‘look good’ with their nonchalant atтιтudes.
The Hell’s Kitchen star said: ‘They are great, they are wonderful, fantastic, incredible pain in the ar**s. They’re so f***ing lazy, they make me look good.
‘An hour in Gino wants an espresso, or he wants his eyebrows plucked, ninety minutes in, Fred’s missing his croissant and his eyeliner.
He added: ‘So we do get on, but three or four days in it’s like, “Move over, I want more room in the bed”, or, “Can we have a break?” They don’t work hard.”‘
The celebrity chef joked he ‘felt sick’ when he discovered their budding romance during a FaceTime call on his show Gordon, Gino and Fred: American Road Trip
Ramsay was also reportedly peeved over D’Acampo being caught by airport security in November 2022 carrying cannabis while departing Ramsay’s private jet,.
D’Acampo was allegedly given a warning as he arrived back in the UK with Ramsay and Sirieix at Farnborough Airport, Hampshire on November 29 2022.
They had been in Spain filming Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip, with a source telling The Sun: ‘Fred and Gordon were pretty cross.’
The source said: ‘Gino and the gang had been filming in Spain, and flew back home on Gordon’s private jet. When they landed, out of nowhere sniffer dogs suddenly started circling Gino.
‘Gordon, Fred and Gino were all held for some time by Border Force, as Gino initially tried to laugh it off.
‘Eventually, it was clear who the dogs were after, and Gino went away with uniformed police for questioning. It was Gino’s bags that were stopped and searched, and a small box with some weed inside was found.
‘Neither Fred nor Gordon, nor anyone else on the jet, had a single trace of anything suspicious.’
The source added that D’Acampo called Ramsay and Sirieix the following day to explain he had been smoking it to help his bad back, and they added that he was released by police ‘without issue’.
Ramsay and D’Acampo continued to work together, travelling Europe together with Fred Siriex (left) for Gordon, Gino and Fred’s Road Trip. However, their relationship appears to have cooled
It is claimed Ramsay and Sirieix were both angry about the situation, particularly as Gordon has always been vocal about his anti-drugs stance.
Whatever the reason, it appears there was a professional parting of the ways at some point in 2023.
The original Road Trip show was made by Ramsay’s production company Studio Ramsay – but the 2024 spin-off show Gino & Fred: Emission Impossible was made by Betty TV, part of the Objective Media Group.
The new array of allegations against D’Acampo range over a 12 year period.
The Italian TV star, known for his cheeky on-screen persona, is now at the centre of claims from dozens of people who describe his alleged conduct over the past 12 years as ‘distressing,’ ‘unacceptable,’ and even ‘horrendous.’
According to ITV News, at least one production company was aware of repeated complaints from staff members about D’Acampo’s behaviour – yet continued to work with him on further TV projects.
D’Acampo has firmly denied all allegations, calling them ‘deeply upsetting.’