TV chef Gino D’Acampo has been caught by Border Force attempting to fly into the UK with cannabis.
According to The Sun, the celebrity chef was caught by sniffer dogs attempting to bring cannabis into the country with him after landing in the UK alongside fellow TV hosts Fred Siriex and Gordon Ramsay.
Having landed at Farnborough Airport, Hampshire, the trio had arrived in Britain after spending time filming a show in Spain.
However, upon touching down Border Force dogs reportedly began circling the famous Italian chef as he arrived at the Hampshire airport.
Officials then stopped and held all three for ‘some time’ whilst Gino tried to ‘laugh it off’, but in the end it became ‘clear who the dogs were after’ and GIno’s luggage was searched.
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Gino pictured with Fred Siriex and Gordon Ramsay. / Image: Gino D’Acampo
TV Chef Gino D’Acampo. / Image: Gino D’Acampo
Officers then found a small box containing the Class B drug inside the Italian Escape presenter’s bags, before letting the tv chef go with a caution.
Gino was officially given a warning and a fine for carrying a prohibited substance, but the TV personality was not arrested. He has since said that he was smoking the drug to help with back pain.
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Speaking on the debacle, a source told The Sun that both Fred and Gordon were ‘pretty cross’ after being held alongside Gino for some time.
“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 continued: “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.
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“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.”
It’s not the first time that the trio has been caught up with cannabis, having all previously sampled some THC-infused food together on their show Gordon, Gino & Fred: American Road Trip two years ago.
Whilst in San Francisco, Gino took his fellow TV chefs to a restaurant that specialises in cannabis-infused dishes – most specifically, ‘High Tea’.
TV chef Gino hasn’t had the best luck of late, having recently been forced to close his Alderley Edge restaurant Luciano just 12 months after it opened.
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Gino only launched the restaurant a year ago, taking over the space formerly home to Piccolino.
The restaurant has now been taken over by competing Italian restaurant group San Carlo, which has just announced plans to close the restaurant for an extended time in order to complete a £2m redesign.
Featured image: Luciano
TV & Showbiz
Five places to watch The Traitors finale live on the big screen in and around Manchester
Danny Jones
With this year’s The Traitors finale just around the corner, Greater Manchester and the rest of the UK are preparing for one very big United Kingdom watchalong, including live viewing parties on the big screen.
Some places showed the grand finale last time around, and with the conclusion of series four fast approaching, even more have organised their own Traitors screenings in central Manchester and further afield, too.
We know plenty of you will be more than happy watching it at home, but there’s something about the idea of watching it in a room with a load of excited people over a few pints that just gets us buzzing.
All that being said, here are some places in town and beyond that are hosting screenings of The Traitors’ grand final this coming Friday, 23 January.
Live screening of The Traitors finale in Greater Manchester
1. Nell’s – Northern Quarter
First up on our list is the pizza palace that is Nell’s, specifically the one located inside beloved neighbourhood bar Common in NQ.
The place will be filling up from 8pm, ahead of the show starting half an hour later, and the full food and drinks menu will be available as normal. It’s selling out fast, so book your spot at ‘the roundtable’ now, whilst you still can.
Heading across the city centre to Gay Village, just a road over from the main throughfare of Canal Street, Richmond St’s Cockatoo Club is also holding a Traitors watch party.
Not only being played on the large projector, but also being hosted by cult favourite drag queen, Annabelle Hecter, this one should be a hoot and a half.
3. Fairfield Social Club – Greengate
Next up is one of the first ones not only to announce this year, but hop on the bandwagon of The Traitors watchalongs to begin with.
Fairfield Social Club (also the home of GRUB) are one of the experts when it comes to events like these, and it’s no surprise tickets are also disappearing rapidly. Find out more down below.
There are freebies for quiz winners, as well as the best fancy dress and Claudia Winkleman doubles.
4. Cultplex – Cheetham Hill
Our penultimate spot on the list is fellow royalty when it comes to grassroots events and championing alternative entertainment – they also happen to be the toast of Red Bank.
The Cultplex cinema team are used to smaller screenings, and if anything, this might pull in one of the most mainstream crowds all year, but they always deliver no matter what’s on the box. You can reserve your seats HERE.
5. The Light – Stockport
Last but not least, if you want to see how this season’s drama ends on a REALLY big telly, then you can always book yourself in for a trip to your nearest Light cinema location.
The Stockport branch has great food and drink, comfy recliner seats, plus plenty more – and if you’ve never done one of these live screening events before, this is a great place to start.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied)/BBC
TV & Showbiz
Package holiday company launches new ‘Beckham Clause’ for feuding families
Emily Sergeant
A popular package holiday company has launched a new ‘Beckham Clause’ to help protect feuding families.
It’s official… family fallouts are now holiday-proof, thanks to a new ‘Beckham Clause’ that’s been launched by a Manchester-based travel company On The Beach in the wake of the ongoing – and at this point, inescapable – Beckham family feud.
In case you need bringing up to speed, then allow us to (briefly) sum up the Beckham family drama for you as best as possible.
Basically, at the centre of this discourse the eldest Beckham child, Brooklyn, his wife Nicola Peltz, and primarily his mum Victoria, although as the months have gone on, it appears there’s no member of the Beckham family that isn’t somewhat involved (okay, maybe not Harper… well at least not publicly, anyway).
Earlier this month, it was reported that Brooklyn had become estranged from his family, and had told his parents to contact him only through lawyers.
On The Beach has launched a new ‘Beckham Clause’ for feuding families / Credit: Ivan Shimko | Natalya Zaritskaya (via Unsplash)
And then yesterday, of course, Brooklyn publicly spoke out about the accusations on his Instagram Stories for the first time ever… and all hell broke loose in the celebrity news world.
On the Beach’s new clause – officially titled the Family Fallout Refund, and already nicknamed the ‘Beckham Clause’ by bosses – aims to give holidaymakers peace of mind that no matter how messy things get at home, their getaway won’t suffer, as it applies to family holidays where one member suddenly drops out due to a feud, argument, or full-blown emotional meltdown.
Under the new policy, if a family member pulls out before departure, their share of the hotel booking will be refunded rather than leaving the rest of the group to foot the bill.
Family fallouts aren’t just limited to celebrities, every year hundreds of holiday bookings need amending due to feuds, On The Beach said, which is why it’s chosen to launch the new refund scheme.
“We love family holidays, but we’re also very aware that family fallouts cam hamper plans,” explained Zoe Harris, who is the Chief Customer Officer at On the Beach.
“The ‘Beckham Clause’ is there for those moments when someone decides they’d rather cool off at home than by the pool.
“Our new perk means that if a family feud takes place and one person drops out, the rest of the group can still head off, relax, and enjoy the holiday they were looking forward to.”