Gino D’Acampo caused complete chaos during his TV interview on Wednesday’s Loose Women.
The celebrity chef, 47, was embroiled in a heated discussion with panelists Christine Lampard, Myleene Klass, Denise Welch and Kelle Bryan when he admitted he ‘hated children’.
Gino shares two sons Luciano, 22, Rocco, 19, and daugher Mia, 12, with his beloved wife Jessica, whom have been married since 2002.
Despite the Italian cook having three children of his own, Gino still shared his strong dislike for youngsters – and even had the audience applaud him.
He said: ‘I don’t really like children, is it okay to say that? I’m one of those parents that when I say I don’t like children, don’t think I see a child and then kick it.
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Gino D’Acampo, 47, caused complete chaos during his TV interview on Wednesday’s Loose Women
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The celebrity chef was embroiled in a heated discussion with panelists Christine Lampard , Myleene Klass , Denise Welch and Kelle Bryan when he admitted he ‘hated children’
‘I mean I don’t like to do children’s stuff. My daughter she is 12 today. I don’t like the glitter stuff and the finger painting. There’s stuff everywhere and I’m thinking “I don’t really want to do this”. I was not born to do this!
‘The only difference is I actually say it. I say to my wife, “I don’t want to do this, it’s boring, I’ve got nothing to say to this child”.’
He added: ‘I like to go shopping, I take them to buy things, the fun stuff. Who the hell likes glitter, plus everything they produce is rubbish. It’s not like I can say “what a beautiful painting.” No, I’ll say what the hell is that, It’s c**p. Tell them the truth!’
As the audience applauded Gino and merely agreed with everything he was saying, the panelists hilariously told the audience to stop agreeing with him.
Gino added: ‘No! It’s because they know the truth! Tell them the truth!’
My wife puts every picture in her office and I go in and say “that is rubbish, what is that?’
His TV appearance comes after news broke that he has been unable to pay £5million to his former staff and in tax after liquidating his pasta chain.13217749
Gino has wound up his business this week two years after it first went into liquidation.
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Gino shares two sons Luciano, 22, Rocco, 19, and daugher Mia, 12, with his beloved wife Jessica, whom have been married since 2002
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Despite the Italian cook having three children of his own, Gino shared his strong dislike for children – and even had the audience applaud him
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View gallery
He said: ‘I don’t really like children, is it okay to say that? I’m one of those parents that when I say I don’t like children, don’t think I see a child and then kick it’
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View gallery
‘I mean I don’t like to do children’s stuff. My daughter she is 12 today. I don’t like the glitter stuff and the finger painting. There’s stuff everywhere and I’m thinking “I don’t really want to do this”. I was not born to do this!’, he added
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‘The only difference is I actually say it. I say to my wife, “I don’t want to do this, it’s boring, I’ve got nothing to say to this child”, he added
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View gallery
As the audience applauded Gino and merely agreed with everything he was saying, the panelists hilariously told the audience to stop agreeing with him
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View gallery
Gino added: ‘No! It’s because they know the truth! Tell them the truth!’
Previous accounts said that 49 creditors were not paid. £4.8million is owed to trade creditors, £113,975 to HMRC and £53,304 to staff, the Mirror reports.
In a final account to creditors and members, the company said: ‘Overall, I can confirm that the realisations in the liquidation are insufficient to declare a dividend to the unsecured creditors after defraying the expenses of the proceedings.’
It comes two years after Gino’s My Pasta Bar chain, which opened in 2012, went under when it lost hundreds of thousands year on year until it reached breaking point.
Social media lit up like a Christmas tree. “Gino saying he hates kids on live TV is iconic,” one X user posted, while another fumed, “He’s a dad—how dare he?” A third chimed in, “He’s joking, calm down—it’s classic Gino!” The split reaction’s no surprise—Gino’s built a brand on being outrageous. From swearing on This Morning to his 2022 Family Fortunes gaffes, he’s a loose cannon fans adore or tolerate. This Loose Women moment fits the pattern: say something wild, watch the sparks fly, and bask in the buzz. But with three kids of his own, the “hate children” line cuts deeper—especially for viewers who don’t buy the jest. “He’s got a daughter still at home—imagine her hearing that,” one critic tweeted, hinting at a personal sting behind the public jest.
Context is key. Gino’s no stranger to parenting chatter—he’s bragged about his “single life” marriage hack, spending weeks apart from Jessica to keep things fresh. In a 2024 OK! interview, he praised his kids’ independence, crediting his hands-off style. “I don’t babysit them—they sort themselves out,” he said then, a thread that ties to this rant. On Loose Women, he painted himself as the anti-helicopter dad, rejecting the fuss-over-kids culture. “When I was young, we played outside—no one cared,” he mused, a nod to his Naples roots. It’s a stance some laud—X posts praised his “old-school honesty”—but others see as neglect dressed up as humor. With Mia, 11, still in the nest, his “go away” quip hits different.
Was it all a gag? Gino’s got form for winding people up—think his This Morning pasta-throwing or I’m A Celebrity tantrums that won him the 2009 crown. His Loose Women grin suggests he knew the “hate kids” line would detonate. Ruth later joked, “You’ve set us all off!”—a nod to his knack for chaos. But the fallout’s real: parenting forums buzzed with “he’s a hypocrite” takes, while fans countered, “He’s just being Gino.” The clip’s 500k+ views on Instagram show it struck a nerve—love him or loathe him, he’s impossible to ignore. ITV likely banked on this; Gino’s a ratings magnet, and this delivered.
His family life adds nuance. Married to Jessica since 2002, Gino’s gushed about their bond—renewing vows in 2021, skiing together in 2025 posts. He’s called his kids “my biggest achievement” elsewhere, a far cry from “I don’t like children.” On Loose Women, he drew the line: “My kids, I love—but others? No thanks.” It’s a dodge—play the grump, protect the heart. Jessica, famously chill, likely laughed it off; she’s weathered worse, like his 1998 prison stint. But for outsiders, the disconnect jars—a dad of three dissing kids feels off-brand, even for a provocateur.
Did he go too far? Loose Women thrives on debate, and Gino served it raw. His chaos fits the show’s DNA—think Coleen’s feuds or Janet’s zingers—but the parenting angle’s touchy. In a world of mummy bloggers and sanctimony, “hate kids” is a Molotov cocktail. Some X users hailed it as “refreshing”—a jab at overzealous parents—others saw red: “He’s setting a terrible example.” Gino doesn’t care; he’s doubled down before, shrugging off his £5M Pasta Bar debt flap in 2024. This is his game: poke, prod, and prosper.
What’s next? Gino’s not apologizing—he’s probably plotting his next stir. With TV gigs paused amid misconduct probes, he’s leaning on charisma to stay afloat. Loose Women was a reminder: he’s a tornado in a teacup, and we can’t look away. Whether he “hates kids” or just loves a ruckus, he’s cooked up a storm that’ll simmer for weeks. Chaos? Sure. But for Gino, that’s the recipe—and he’s serving it hot.
