Allen gives up stakes in family businesses

The television chef, Tim Allen, has resigned his directorships in his family's cookery school and hotel business in Co Cork.

After his conviction last week for possession of child pornography, Allen will also relinquish his shareholdings in the two businesses. His 25 per cent stake in the Ballymaloe cookery school and 16 per cent in Ballymaloe House Hotel and Restaurant are likely to be transferred to other members of his family.

Allen was sentenced last Thursday to 240 hours of community service and agreed to pay €40,000 to a child welfare charity after pleading guilty in Midleton District Court.

The family's public relations adviser, Mr Pat Heneghan, said Allen yesterday left his family home at Kinoith, Shanagarry, to stay with friends elsewhere in Co Cork.

Mr Heneghan said Allen would stay away "for a while" but added that the house "will always remain his family home". He declined to specify when he would return to the house, which adjoins the cookery school. Allen has apologised for his actions, but the perceived leniency of the sentence has been criticised.

RTÉ has said that the remaining 12 programmes in a 27-part cookery series featuring Allen's wife, Darina Allen, would be broadcast in the next year. "There is no question of Darina's long series not being continued because of these events," said a spokeswoman.

While 15 programmes were broadcast before Christmas, RTÉ said the decision not to continue the series in January was not related to Tim Allen's case.