Gino D’Acampo performatively kissed a footballer’s wife on the lips when he was presented as the start turn at a charity event – and then bragged that he did it ‘because I f**king can’.

The once popular TV chef, who has lately been rocked by numerous allegations of sexually inappropriate and intimidating behaviour, kissed the astonished famous WAG without warning in front of dozens of guests.

The incident happened in 2012 when both were attending a black-tie charity event held at Stoke City Football Club.

MailOnline has chosen to protect the identity of the woman D’Acampo seized on out of respect for her privacy.

But we can reveal that she is married to a very well known former international footballer – and apparently had no warning that she was to be physically grasped by the chef.

And witnesses who were present have told MailOnline that afterwards both the woman and her husband appeared shocked and distressed by what had happened – while the wider audience reacted with a mixture of gasps and laughter filled the air at what had just taken place.

One eye-witness recalled: ‘As Gino was introduced to the stage, he walked through the audience directly to the table where the footballer and his wife were seated

‘He then very suddenly grabbed her by the face, and kissed her on the lips.’

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Gino D’Acampo performatively kissed a footballer’s wife on the lips when he was presented as the start turn at a charity event

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The incident happened in 2012 when both were attending a black-tie charity event held at Stoke City Football Club

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D’Acampo, pictured with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, honours his promise to cook naked on This Morning if they won at the 2011 NTA Awards

The witness added that D’Acampo then walked onto the stage and told the audience: ‘You know why I did that, ladies and gentlemen? Because I f**king can.’

He then allegedly turned to former footballer and jokingly goaded: ‘You want to f**king kill me right now, don’t you?

‘She appeared visibly shocked, and her husband looked really stunned too and not exactly pleased.

‘But it was so public I think they both felt they had no choice but to let it go.’

A second witness confirmed that account and recalled: ‘At the time it was really uncomfortable but the audience seemed to mostly laugh as they didn’t know how else to react. But looking back from the perspective of 2025 it’s hard to believe he really did that.’

The event took place in 2012 as D’Acampo was rising in popularity as a celebrity chef becoming known for his outrageous behaviour on shows like Celebrity Juice.

The witnesses recalled that his stunt as the stage was met with laughter and appeared to be dismissed by most of those present with nobody challenging him.

One said: ‘I remember feeling deeply uncomfortable witnessing it and I can only imagine how she must have felt.

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The TV chef has lately been rocked by numerous allegations of sexually inappropriate and intimidating behaviour

‘What struck me most was how easily most in the audience seemed to dismiss or even celebrate this blatant act of arrogance and entitlement.

‘It was a stark example of the bystander effect—where inappropriate behaviour is excused, normalised, or simply ignored.’

The shocked eyewitness claimed that at first, she thought D’Acampo’s actions might have been a stunt organised in conjunction with the couple.

She said: ‘At the time, I initially tried to rationalise what I had seen. I wondered whether this was a pre-planned stunt between Gino and them.

‘However, judging by their facial expressions, it did not appear staged or consensual.’

‘I’m sharing this now because of all the information that has come out about D’Acampo. I recognise how such moments contribute to a culture of toxic masculinity that has long been tolerated.

‘I now believe that change is necessary. We must challenge and stop this type of behaviour rather than enabling it.’

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.’

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D’Acampo pictured kissing presenter Ruth Langsford in 2011 on ITV’s This Morning

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The Italian TV star, known for his cheeky on-screen persona pictured alongside Holly Willoughby on This Morning in 2019

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.

One woman, given the pseudonym Hannah, described a disturbing moment during a magazine shoot in 2011.

She claims that, in front of an entire crew, D’Acampo made an explicit sexual comment, telling her he would ‘like to turn me over and f*** me up the a*** against the kitchen counter,’ leaving her humiliated.

‘I remember a ripple of laughter,’ she recalled, while others ‘looked nervously into their cups of tea.’

A spokesperson for the celebrity chef did not dispute that he had been at the event nor that there had been a kiss – but was adamant that D’Acampo ‘vehemently’ denies any suggestion that he was in any way forceful.

The spokesman said that D’Acampo was – and remains – friends with the footballer.

They told MailOnline: ‘He did not force himself upon her without consent and in a ”nonconsensual” way.

‘The allegation that he would ”forcefully” kiss someone in a non-consensual way is considered by Mr D’Acampo to be ”ludicrous”.’

The spokesperson insisted that there had been a ‘pile on’ against D’Acampo and his family which they described as ‘this continuous stream of hostile and untrue allegations’ which they have found to be ‘deeply distressing’.