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During 23 years with the BBC, and a 41 year journalistic career (when he was trained to use clear and simple language, avoiding jargon), reporting scandals has always played a major role for our Editor, Welshman Phil Parry, and this is now highlighted by more disturbing details emerging about the alleged behaviour of Gino D’Acampo. as well as the fact that his material has been used by the giant corporation, yet they have REFUSED to answer questions about the growing list of controversies!
It is probably little known that the BBC figures in the scandal about Gino D’Acampo’s alleged behaviour.
All the attention has been, understandably, on his high profile with ITV, yet his recipes have also featured with BBC Food where it is proclaimed proudly: “Gino D’Acampo has cooked for Pavarotti and is well known in the UK for his appearances on Ready Steady Cook”.
It seems that allegations about Mr D’Acampo are also now ‘well known in the UK’, with him making front page news for all the wrong reasons, and accusations now from one woman that he made a “vile” sexist comment about his ITV co-star Holly Willoughby.
According to The Sun Mr D’Acampo told the woman: “If I could put the face of one on the body of the other then…I’d probably choose Holly because I’d have more fun with her”. She claims she wrote an email many years ago to ITV Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Carolyn McCall, in which she stated: “He is certainly not a man reflecting integrity or honesty or family values”.
It seems, however, that executives only acted recently. Friday night’s ITV2 episode of Family Fortunes (which he hosts) was replaced by Wheel of Fortune, and Sunday’s two episodes of Secrets of the South, were no longer in the ITVBe schedule. It should be said that Mr D’Acampo has denied any accusations of inappropriate behaviour, and says that he feels “hurt” and “betrayed”.
But the question now is how long will his recipes survive on BBC Food, with his supposed behaviour to be added to the list of controversies engulfing the huge broadcaster, and why they won’t talk about them.
Among many worrying issues we have had the disturbing Gregg Wallace business so it seemed reasonable to ask the corporation, how many programmes could not, now, be transmitted and what they were.
It was reported that Mr Wallace was stepping back from his role on MasterChef while allegations of historical misconduct were looked into.
An investigation by BBC News revealed that he is facing allegations of inappropriate sexual comments from 13 people who worked with him over a 17-year period. Channel 5 was also examining accusations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ by the presenter while making the programme ‘Gregg Wallace’s Big Weekends’ in 2019.
More alleged ‘inappropriate behaviour’ came to light afterwards, and BBC News has reported about the corporation: “It’s the last thing it needs, so soon after other high profile scandals including the disgraced BBC News presenter Huw Edwards. The BBC has questions to answer about the allegations over what it knew about Wallace’s behaviour on and off set, and – if it was alerted to these types of allegations – what it did about them. BBC News has been made aware of two occasions when complaints were made. One, by the radio host Aasmah Mir, related to Celebrity MasterChef in 2017.”
One Welsh former senior executive with the corporation told me earlier: “The BBC is attempting to display decisiveness after the Huw Edwards & Savile scandals to help restore its public image. It’s cosmetic. On the Wallace incident it was said that we saw: “Another slap on the wrist from weak executives who’re afraid to sack talent & put ratings first. He’s finished and the Beeb managers who let him carry on should be fired”.
All of this came on the back of many other appalling events where the BBC has made news in a way they will not like. There’s the Amanda Abbington/Giovanni Pernice incident on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, involving accusations of bullying and harassment.
There has also been the One Show and Match of the Day (MotD) presenter Jermaine Jenas business, where once again there have been allegations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’, with reports claiming, for example, that one female member of staff received unsolicited communications via text from him.
We have been treated to the Huw Edwards affair, and the Jimmy Savile scandal (which the former executive mentioned), with the full extent of what Savile did only emerging relatively recently.
All of these incidents have prompted front page news about The BBC in UK papers. We’ll start with the information about Ms Abbington. The BBC says it assessed and “upheld some, but not all” of her complaints about her time on Strictly, after she pulled out of the show and claimed later that there was a “toxic environment”, as well as that she had been subject to “inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying”.
In saying sorry, the huge corporation proclaimed: “We have assessed the complaints and we have upheld some, but not all, of the complaints made. We want to apologise to Amanda Abbington and to thank her for coming forward and taking part. We know this would not have been an easy thing to do”. It also said in the apology statement that The BBC expects “…very high standards…”, so critics are entitled to ask why they apparently do not exist in the Media Office (MO).
Mr Jenas, too, faced claims of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ and was sacked from The BBC over allegedly sending ‘unsolicited’ texts to junior members of staff. Reports have claimed that one female worker received unsolicited communications via text from him – they were supposedly ‘flirty’. Others then came forward according to The Sun. However, the source added there was “no suggestion of illegality” on Mr Jenas’s part.
Let’s not forget the incredible Jay Blades episode. The Repair Shop star was accused of illegal acts in relation to his estranged wife, with the allegations including physical and emotional abuse, according to court documents. He appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court and was bailed until another court appearance. West Mercia Police (WMP) said he was charged after they were called to an address last year, following an Instagram post by Lisa Zbozen. A repeat of David & Jay’s Touring Toolshed was removed and the BBC will not show any programmes in which he features. Last October he pleaded not guilty to engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour.
After everything that has happened, it seemed reasonable, therefore, to ask the BBC which programmes could not now be transmitted. Perhaps I should have added recipes on BBC Food too!
This is the (extremely polite) request I put to their MO on December 19, and I was encouraged because on the BBC’s website they declare: “Enquiries from journalists will be responded to as quickly as possible”.
Hello.
I am Editor of a news website called The Eye.
Could you please answer the following questions:
Thank you,
Phil Parry
To date, though, there has been no reply apart from two automated messages saying that the requests had been received.
The memories of Phil’s, astonishing award-winning career in journalism (including some of the immediate responses from MOs) as he was gripped by the rare neurological disabling condition, Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), have been released in a major book ‘A GOOD STORY’. Order the book now!
Tomorrow – how accusations have grown about the failure of political leadership after the announcement of controversial plans to expand Heathrow Airport, with Welsh devolution cited.
