GIOVANNI QUICK TO LEARN LINGO

STRICTLY professional Giovanni Pernice is one of the favourites to win with his partner Debbie McGee, 59, but the Italian confesses he could hardly speak a word of English when he first joined the show in 2015.

Sicilian-born Latin dance champion Giovanni, 27, who is now fluent in English and based in London, tells Day & Night: “The only things I could say were, ‘How are you?’, ‘What’s your name?’ and ‘Where’s the toilet?’ But I picked the language up pretty quickly once I was here. I had to for my job. If you want to learn a language, live in the actual country,” he advises.

However, ladies’ favourite Giovanni’s initial lack of fluency in the lingo didn’t worry his first partner actress Georgia May Foote, though, as the pair – who finished runners-up – became a couple before splitting up last year.