TV chef Gino D’Acampo has denied dozens of allegations of inappropriate and intimidating behaviour on the sets of TV shows he has appeared on.

D’Acampo actions were described as being “unacceptable”, “distressing” and “horrendous”, according to an ITV News investigation.

Anonymous women who spoke to the news broadcaster also accused D’Acampo of aggressive behaviour and making highly sexualised remarks.

In a statement to ITV News, D’Acampo has said he “firmly” denies the allegations and “would not do anything that I thought would upset or distress anyone”.

He adds: “I am a father, husband… the suggestion that I have acted in an improper way against is deeply upsetting.”

Sky News has contacted D’Acampo for comment.

ITV also reported that bosses at Objective Media Group, the production company behind Gordon, Gino And Fred’s Roadtrip in 2018, appear to have been aware of concerns about D’Acampo’s behaviour.

Objective Media Group said: “We have robust protocols and procedures in place for all cast and crew, including on-screen talent, that we review regularly whilst also ensuring that we take into account developments regarding industry wide ‘Duty of Care’ guidelines.”

The production company continued: “Across all productions we encourage people to raise any concerns at the earliest opportunity… If there are incidents or complaints reported, we implement our Escalation Procedure and ensure that a full and thorough process is followed in close collaboration with the broadcaster.”

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Other production companies that have worked with D’Acampo have also issued statements following the allegations.

Studio Ramsay said: “Whilst we do not disclose or discuss personnel matters publicly, Studio Ramsay is committed, in conjunction with our broadcast partners, to a safe and professional work environment. We take all allegations of inappropriate behaviour and workplace misconduct seriously, promptly investigate, and take appropriate remedial action when warranted.”

MultiStory Media said: “It would be inappropriate to go into the detail of individual concerns but we give our assurance that we are reviewing the concerns which have been raised, what was known at the time and what action was taken. We will also look at any new concerns that have come to light.”

American music producer Irv Gotti has died at the age of 54. 

The producer, who founded the hip-hop label Murder Inc Records, produced nearly 30 Hot 100 hits in the US charts for artists including Ashanti, Ja Rule, Ye, DMX, Fat Joe, Mary J Blige and Jay-Z.

His death was confirmed by his children – Angie, Sonny and JJ – who posted on his official Instagram page to say that he died on 5 February “surrounded by his family and friends”.

Describing their father as an “incredible man” and “true visionary”, they said he will “leave behind a legacy that will forever resonate in the hearts of those who knew him and the countless lives he touched”.

“As we navigate this difficult time, we kindly ask for privacy while we grieve the loss of our dad, son, brother, uncle, and friend. We take comfort in knowing that his spirit will live on through his music and the love he shared with all of us,” the family statement added.

Gotti’s cause of death has not been revealed.

After founding Murder Inc in 1998, Gotti signed Ashanti and Ja Rule as the record label’s first artists.

Ja Rule landed his first top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hit with Holla Holla from his 1999 debut album Venni Vetti Vecci, while the song Always On Time, which featured both him and Ashanti, became his highest-charting single.

Meanwhile, Ashanti’s 2002 debut single, Foolish, made her only the second artist to simultaneously occupy spots in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 with her first three charting singles.

The label’s success skyrocketed, and between 1999 and 2005 Ja Rule had a total of 17 Hot 100 hits.

Leading tributes to the producer, Def Jam Recordings – another record label owned by Universal Music Group – posted on social media, writing that Gotti’s work “reshaped the soundscape of hip-hop and R&B”.

“Def Jam Recordings and the extended Def Jam family of artists, executives and employees, are deeply saddened at the loss of Irv Gotti,” Def Jam said.

“His contributions at Def Jam, as both an A&R executive and in partnership with Murder Inc, helped pave the way for the next generation of artists and producers, a force that reshaped the soundscape of hip-hop and R&B.

“His creative genius and unwavering dedication to the culture behind countless hits, defined an era of music that continues to resonate with fans worldwide.”

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Ja Rule also posted, sharing two images, one featuring them together, with the caption: “Love you.”

50 Cent, who appeared to reference his long-running feud with Gotti, also paid tribute, posting a picture of himself smoking next to a gravestone that read RIP.

Liam Payne’s girlfriend has said his death was a “tragic accident” and he was in “such a good headspace” when she left him in Argentina.

Kate Cassidy was with Payne in Buenos Aires but flew back to the US days before the One Direction star was killed in a fall from a hotel balcony.

She told The Sun: “Love is so optimistic, and you just hope that everything will work out at the end.

“Obviously if I knew, if I could see into the future, I would never have left Argentina.”

The American influencer said she had to get back to look after the couple’s dog, Nala.

“I had a responsibility, we had a responsibility. We had our dog and obviously I never, ever thought this event would occur,” she said.

Cassidy added: “It was a tragic accident and no, I never did think [he might die young]. But, you know, we did have our own separate lives – this wasn’t the first time we have travelled separately.

“I just never thought this would have happened, that it would turn out the way it did.”

Payne died aged 31 on 16 October from multiple injuries after falling from the third floor of a hotel in the Argentine capital.

Three people have been charged with manslaughter over his death, and two with supplying cocaine.

Cassidy, 25, said she thinks about Payne “every second of every day” and that she’d had a “childhood crush” on him since she was 10.

The pair got together in 2022 and she told The Sun it still doesn’t seem “fully real for me that he’s not here”.

“From the moment I met Liam, I genuinely believed we were soulmates,” said Cassidy.

“He was the most humble, charming, normal person you could ever hope to come across, and genuinely one of the best people I’ve ever met in my life.”

She said the Wolverhampton-born singer “was in such a good headspace” when she left Argentina.

“We were in such a great place, just full of love; he was so happy and positive. And I just can’t even believe the way things truly ended,” she said.

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Cassidy said she was glad she didn’t discover he’d died via social media, revealing one of Payne’s friends had called her to break the news.

“That moment, it’s like blank; it’s blacked out in my head,” she added.

“I didn’t believe it at first. I thought it was just a rumour. Or something that somebody made up just to get views.”

Payne’s funeral took place in November in Buckinghamshire, with his former bandmates and ex-partner Cheryl among the mourners.