Giggling their way across the globe, from the vineyards of California to the tavernas of Greece, the on-screen pairing of Gordon Ramsay and Gino D’Acampo had seemed like a recipe for success.

Bold, brash and with a mischievous shared sense of humour, the TV chefs seemed to enjoy a firm – not to mention lucrative – friendship during their Road Trip series with fellow cook Fred Sirieix.

So, when D’Acampo announced he was walking away from the show after four series in 2023, the move was met with some surprise… and rumours about the real state of the pair’s friendship.

Now, as the Italian chef fights for his career following allegations of inappropriate behaviour, I can reveal just how ‘fractured’ that relationship has become.

For I am told Ramsay had, in fact, raised concerns about D’Acampo’s behaviour two years ago, sparking the demise of their show and, ultimately, their friendship.

One source said: ‘Gordon was horrified with what had gone on and felt it was time to step in and stop it. He has three daughters and a wife, Tana, who he absolutely adores and felt it was disgusting. He wanted to change those ways but then it led to difficulties between them.

‘Gordon found there was a lot of unacceptable behaviour going on, he saw things he didn’t think were okay so he spoke up. That was that, friendship over.’

Two years later, sources say things are so bad between the two men that they no longer speak and friends of Ramsay’s are now ‘throwing Gino under the bus’ in the face of the recent allegations.

Team Ramsay are said to be ‘relieved’ the foul-mouthed chef is no longer connected to D’Acampo, adding: ‘We wanted to get him as far away as possible.’

Last week, a shock investigation by ITV News uncovered multiple allegations of 𝑠e𝑥ually inappropriate and intimidating behaviour by the Italian.

Dozens of people described the 48-year-old’s alleged conduct over the past 12 years as ‘distressing,’ ‘unacceptable,’ and even ‘horrendous’.

One production company was reportedly aware of repeated complaints from staff members yet continued to work with D’Acampo on further projects.

One woman, using the pseudonym Hannah, claimed, during a magazine shoot in 2011, D’Acampo told her he would ‘like to turn me over and f*** me up the a***’ against the kitchen counter’ in front of the entire crew. ‘I remember a ripple of laughter,’ she recalled, while others ‘looked nervously into their cups of tea’.

Hannah said the incident left her feeling ‘horror’ and ‘shock’, but admitted she was not surprised no one intervened.

D’Acampo, who has three children with his wife of 22 years Jessica Stellina Morrison, has firmly denied all allegations.

Yet Ramsay’s team has remained largely silent – until now. Recalling the 58-year-old British star’s concerns during the filming of their ITV series, Gordon, Gino And Fred: Road Trip, a source said: ‘Gino thought it was old-fashioned Italian behaviour but Gordon thought it was just plain wrong. That’s where the problems began.’

I have previously reported claims that D’Acampo thrust his groin at a female producer and asked another about her 𝑠e𝑥 life while filming the show. He denied the allegations.

Sources inside Ramsay’s production company Studio Ramsay also alleged that D’Acampo would expose his penis often and was ‘super difficult’ to work with.

The allegations have raised questions about ITV’s involvement in the scandal – with bosses accused of ignoring the problem for up to ten years.

While I can’t vouch for it being that long, when I approached the broadcaster in March 2023, bosses were largely evasive and refused to engage with the claims I put to them about his behaviour.

They continued to work with him, giving him another series of the quiz show Family Fortunes and a spin-off cooking show with Sirieix called Gino and Fred: Emission Impossible. During that show, another complaint was made about D’Acampo and he was made to go on a behaviour and language course afterwards.

Last December when I once again approached ITV to comment on his behaviour, they said they would continue to air Family Fortunes. However, last week they decided, finally, to can it.

One industry insider said: ‘It doesn’t exactly look great for ITV, does it? He was popular, the viewers loved him but this was going on behind the scenes and it was raised to them. They make out they are an amazing employer but they appeared to turn a blind eye to this behaviour.’

As with such scandals, others have continued to be drawn into the fallout. The latest has been Holly Willoughby, who only two years ago was engulfed in the furore over Phillip Schofield’s affair with a younger colleague.

Yesterday it was reported D’Acampo had made ‘vile’ 𝑠e𝑥ual remarks about the presenter to a horrified woman – but her complaints to ITV in 2018 were ignored. He is said to have told the woman that he was often asked whether he would prefer to sleep with Ms Willoughby or her friend Fearne Cotton.

He told her: ‘If I could put the face of one on the body of the other then maybe, but I’d probably choose Holly because I’d have more fun with her.’

The woman told The Sun: ‘I was disgusted by what he said and how he behaved. He was crude and vile. He’s a vulgar cretin.’

D’Acampo has ‘firmly denied’ all claims, saying they were ‘simply not in my nature’ and ‘deeply upsetting’. He added that he’d ‘never been made aware of these matters previously’.

An ITV spokesman said the behaviour described was ‘inappropriate and unacceptable’, adding: ‘Where issues have been raised with ITV, action has been taken.’

Ms Willoughby, 44, will be devastated to learn of the alleged comments. She and D’Acampo were close after working together on This Morning, and she was a regular guest at the parties he would throw at his Hertfordshire home.

Her husband Dan Baldwin, a successful TV producer, was also a friend of D’Acampo.

‘Holly always liked Gino so this is extremely disappointing,’ said a friend of the star. ‘She spent a lot of time with him outside of work and they were mates. But what this shows in no uncertain terms is that if he can say such horrid things about Holly then he can say them about anyone.’

It remains to be seen if that includes his former friend Ramsay.