ITV axes cooking show with hugely popular host in latest programming shake-up

ITV HAS axed a cooking show with a hugely popular host in its latest programming shake-up.

Bosses at the broadcaster have decided not to bring back one of Gino D’Acampo‘s shows.

The celebrity chef, 46, had fronted two pilot episodes of Gino’s Cooking Up Love for ITV.

Set in Sardinia, its aim was to help singletons find romance through food.

However, despite discussions being held between execs at ITV and the show’s production company Triple Brew, it won’t be coming back for a full series.

A source said: “There were meaningful discussions about commissioning further episodes, but ultimately it was decided to ditch the concept.

“ITV is still working with Gino on a number of other shows this year.”

Cooking Up Love saw contestants join Gino’s very own cookery school and being paired with like-minded chefs.

Both episodes aired at the end of last year and are still available to stream on ITVX.

Gino is currently on television on Sunday nights as he presents the rebooted Family Fortunes for the channel.

The This Morning chef is also back filming a second series of Gino’s Italy, his food-odyssey travel series for ITV.

Gino previously shocked fans by announcing his exit from Gordon, Gino And Fred: Road Trip via a video posted on Instagram, in which he claimed “contractual complications” sparked his decision.

The Sun later revealed that weeks earlier Gino had been caught with cannabis by Border Force officials when he flew back into the UK after filming the popular series in Spain — which left his co-stars “pretty cross”.