Gino D’Acampo has announced he has quit his popular road trip show with Gordon Ramsay and Fred Sirieix amid “stressful” contract discussions.
The Italian celebrity chef, 46, said he would rather step back from the ITV show, Gordon, Gino And Fred: Road Trip, than affect his friendship with his co-stars as he values it “so much”.
The food show sees the trio cook and try local cuisines as they travel through various countries including Italy, France, Scotland, the US and Greece.
A fourth series, titled Gordon, Gino & Fred’s Road Trip in Spain, is still due to air on ITV and ITVX later this year as it has already been filmed, the broadcaster has said.
In a video posted on Twitter, D’Acampo said: “Last week I decided not to film any more Gordon, Gino, Fred’s Road Trips.
“The reason is simple – nothing to do with Gordon and Fred, the friendship is very strong, we’ve known each other for many, many years – it’s just because we can’t get the dates together.
“And when we do get the dates together, sometimes they get changed, and it causes a lot of problems for me, because I’ve got other stuff that I have to do.
“Personal problems as well because when I have to change things with my family is always very complicated. So because of that, and also because (of) contracts.
“When contracts start to get very complicated, then it becomes very stressful and I personally value the friendship with Gordon and Fred so much that I’d rather the friendship than getting (into) arguments with the contracts.
“So I’ve decided not to do Gordon, Gino And Fred any more, because I want to be friends with the boys for many, many years ahead.”
The chef thanked those who had watched the show, adding: “Unfortunately, like all good things in life, at some point they have to come to an end.
“So thank you again for watching the show and I’m sure you will understand.”
The first series of the ITV show aired in 2018 and followed D’Acampo, Ramsay and Sirieix on a European adventure, organising a special ceremony in each of their home countries – Italy, Scotland and France respectively.
The four-part follow-up series, Gordon, Gino & Fred: American Road Trip, was launched in 2020 while the third, Gordon, Gino & Fred Go Greek, had a shortened run of two episodes when it premiered in 2021.
There were also three Christmas specials and two episodes with unseen clips from across the series.
The trio will return to screens later this year for the fourth, and potentially final, instalment which sees them head to Spain in search for the best seafood, wine and tapas.