Yahoo News Gino D'Acampo jokes about Phillip Schofield's resignation as he returns to This Morning
The outspoken Italian TV chef addressed the elephant in the room by asking Holly Willoughby 'Any news I need to know about?'
Gino D’Acampo made light of the Phillip Schofield scandal as he returned to the This Morning studio for the first time since his resignation.
The outspoken Italian TV chef as been away in Italy for a month, and in that time Schofield quit the show after confessing he had lied to ITV executives about a secret affair with a much younger man.
D'Acampo, 46, appeared on the live ITV show to cook tiramisu and told hosts Holly Willoughby and Dermot O'Leary: "I’ve been in Italy for a month, any news I need to know about? Is there any news since I’ve been gone?"
Read more: Was homophobia part of the Phillip Schofield backlash? Have your say
Willoughby, 42, giggled and told him: "No."
O'Leary, 50, clamped his pen between his teeth and made an awkward face at the camera. He quipped: "He's back on a one time only deal... we'll see how it goes."
D'Acampo also said he had been planning to cook melanzane parmigiana but added that he had been told he wasn't allowed to use aubergines on the show.
This was a cheeky reference to This Morning editor Martin Frizell's comments to Sky News when he was asked about the alleged "toxic" work environment at the show.
Frizell had replied: “I’ll tell you what’s toxic and I’ve always found it toxic. Aubergine. Do you like aubergine? Do you? Do you like aubergine because I don’t like aubergine. It’s just a personal thing.”
MP John Nicholson branded Frizell, "Outrageously dismissive and flippant," for the remarks.
Some viewers were delighted that D'Acampo had made light of the scandal.
One tweeted: "I’m so glad Gino addressed the elephant in the room finally! #Aubergine #ThisMorning"
Another wrote: "Gino is a legend when he just asked “is there any news since I’ve been gone” GINO GINO GINO #ThisMorning"
Read more: Gino D'Acampo steals spotlight from Phillip Schofield with revealing video
And another commented: "Gino never disappoints, causing Dermot and Holly to squirm a bit making light of the Phil saga #ThisMorning"
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