TELLY chef Gino D’Acampo was caught with cannabis by police sniffer dogs as he flew into Britain.
The Italian was given a warning after he landed with TV pals Gordon Ramsay and Fred Sirieix at Farnborough Airport, Hampshire.
D’Acampo, 46, had been in Spain filming Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip. A source said last night: “Fred and Gordon were pretty cross.”
Gino’s airport drug bust came just weeks before he quit his telly road show with Gordon and Fred.
Police pulled over the Italian chef after he touched down in Britain on Ramsay’s private jet following filming in Spain.
Sniffer dogs are said to have started circling him as he arrived with Gordon and Fred at the airport, a regular stop-off for the rich and famous.
Cannabis was then found in a small box inside the Family Fortunes presenter’s luggage.
Officers accepted it was for his own medicinal use — not intended for anybody else — and issued him with a warning.
The news comes after the dad of three blindsided ITV bosses last month by quitting Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip amid “stressful” contract talks.
Last night a 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 went on: “The next day Gino called Gordon and Fred.
“He said he was smoking it to help his bad back, and he had been released by cops without issue.
“Both Fred and Gordon were obviously pretty cross at being caught up in the drama. Gordon, especially, has always been very vocal about his anti-drugs stance.”
Gordon has spoken openly in the past of his younger brother Ronnie’s addiction to hard drugs.
Three years ago on Gordon, Gino and Fred: American Road Trip, viewers watched Italian Gino get high after he had cannabis-infused tea in California — where it is legal.
Gino also put cannabis droplets on his salmon mousse, saying: “In for a penny, in for a pound.”
Fellow chef Gordon turned down the cannabis and advised him: “Slow down, you’ll be like a hot air balloon in a minute.”
Gino then started to slur his speech and struggled to put on a bandana before being helped down the stairs by his sober colleagues.
News of the TV star’s airport bust on November 29 last year comes two weeks after he announced he was quitting Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip after four series. Gino said he did not want “stressful” contract talks to ruin his friendship with co-stars Gordon, 56, and Frenchman Fred, 51,
He wrote on Instagram: “The reason is simple — nothing to do with Gordon and Fred, the friendship is very strong. It’s just because we can’t get the dates together. When contracts start to get very complicated, then it becomes very stressful.”
Last week The Sun revealed another issue was Gino’s desire to sleep in. The star, described as a “party boy”, wanted to start filming later in the day so he could stay up at night. It was also reported last weekend that some staff were left feeling “uncomfortable” by his behaviour towards them.
In 2002 Gino married Jessica Stellina Morrison — who he met working at Sylvester Stallone’s Mambo King restaurant in Marbella when he was just 18.
The couple have three children, Luciano, Rocci and Mia.
For the past ten years, Gino has been a golden boy of ITV. In 2009 he won I’m A Celebrity, and he has long been a viewers’ fave on This Morning. From 2011 until 2014, he presented daytime cookery programme Let’s Do Lunch With Gino and Me and since 2013 he has hosted seven series of Gino’s Italian Escape. A Celebrity Juice regular, in 2020 he took over the revamped version of Family Fortunes.
Farnborough is a regular spot for celebs and featured in 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace.
Sniffer dogs and their handlers are used to boost detection of drugs, explosives and firearms.
They are trained to detect illegal substances tightly sealed or deeply hidden.
Last night a spokesperson for Ramsay declined to comment.
By Thomas Godfrey
GINO’S TV career has survived a string of previous lows, including animal cruelty claims and revelations he was jailed for a break-in.
In 1998, the then waiter got two years after burgling ’80s singer Paul Young’s home just three years after moving to London from Naples.
Paul, 67, later revealed music featuring his wife Stacey, who died in 2018, was stolen and was never recovered. However, Gino, right, found success upon his release from prison with the launch of ingredients supplier Bonta Italia.
His food company struck deals with supermarkets, including Tesco, to manufacture ready meals, kick-starting his TV career.
But further controversy came during his I’m a Celebrity win in 2009 as he killed a rat to cook.
