Aussie TV journo calls chef “arrogant narcissist”

CANBERRA, Australia — An Australian TV host said Tuesday that foul-mouthed celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay would never again be welcome on her show after he hurled insults and sexual references at her during a food and wine fair.

Ramsay is the volatile star of reality television programs “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Kitchen Nightmares” — ratings winners for Australia’s Nine Network. The network also broadcasts the popular “A Current Affair” television show, hosted by high-profile journalist Tracy Grimshaw.

After an uneventful appearance by Ramsay on Grimshaw’s show Friday night, the British chef and restaurateur went to a food and wine tasting event Saturday attended by about 3,000 people in the southern city of Melbourne.

Ramsay stunned the audience by unleashing a string of insults at Grimshaw in her absence, calling her a lesbian and likening her to a pig. Ramsay repeated the insults Sunday and Monday at the same food exposition. Later he said he was only joking.

Grimshaw, though, failed to see the humor and retaliated on her program Monday night, calling Ramsay an “arrogant narcissist” and a “bully.”

“Obviously Gordon thinks that any woman who doesn’t find him attractive must be gay,” Grimshaw said. “For the record, I don’t and I’m not.”

Grimshaw continued her attack Tuesday in a radio interview during which she said Ramsay would not be invited back on her program.

“I’m not interested in speaking to the bloke again,” Grimshaw told Fairfax Radio. “I can’t imagine any circumstances where I would want to interview him again.”

Ramsay’s publicist did not return The Associated Press’s telephone call on Tuesday. However, an unrepentant Ramsay told Nine News on Tuesday that his comments had had been “blown out of context.”