Paul Gascoigne has been spotted getting close to his bikini-clad co-star Daniela Martani, 47, during his appearance on Italy’s version of I’m A Celebrity – L’Isola dei Famosi.
The former England star, 53, offered a helping hand by smearing lotion on the Big Brother star’s back, with the pair clearly getting on swimmingly after being marooned on an island in Honduras for the series.
Gazza has already left Italian viewers in hysterics with his appearance on the reality show as they tore into his attempts at speaking Italian during his introductory video on Monday.
What’s going on? Paul Gascoigne has been spotted getting close to his bikini-clad co-star Daniela Martani during his appearance on Italy’s version of I’m A Celebrity – L’Isola dei Famosi
Gazza showed off his array of tattoos as he went shirtless in the blistering heat after being launched onto the island by helicopter.
The footballer shared a laugh with his gorgeous co-star Daniela, who displayed her own incredible physique in a teal green bikini.
As the celebrities got to grips with surviving on the island alone, Gazza channelled his inner castaway by creating his own companion Wilson with a coconut.
Cosy? The former England star was seen sharing a laugh with the reality TV star after being marooned on an island in Honduras for the series.
Looking trip: Gazza showed off his impressive physique by going shirtless after being dropped on the island
Pals: Already the sporting star seemed to be getting on well with activist Daniela, after the pair were dropped on the island via. helicopter
Wow! Daniela showed off her svelte physique in a skimpy teal blue bikini and shorts as she strolled along the beach
Need a hand? Paul quickly offered to rub lotion into Daniela’s back, as the pair got to know one another during the second day of filming
Daniela rose to fame in her native Italy in 2009 as a contestant on that country’s version of Big Brother, Grande Fratello, but quit the show after just 22 days.
Since then she’s made a name for herself as an outspoken activist, and has offered her own controversial viewers on issues including veganism and the Covid pandemic.
Daniela has continuously questioned the existence of coronavirus despite over 100,000 in Italy losing their lives to the virus, and has even criticised her country’s government for their conspiracy.
‘In intensive care there is no one anymore, so they have to scare us with the number of positives,’ she said.
Getting on well? Paul shared a laugh with star Daniela during filming for the show as they joined several other stars battling to survive on the island
Helping out? He grabbed the lotion and offered to put some on Daniela’s back, after she stripped down to a bikini in the blistering heat
Screen star: Gazza, who has struggled with alcoholism in the past, passed a series of mental and physical tests before taking part in the show
Happy: He appeared to be in good spirits as he showed off his tattooed physique on the beach during filming
In August she reportedly blocked a ferry for several minutes for refusing to wear a mask, and later wrote on Instagram: ‘Some passengers called the carabinieri and threatened to report me for interruption of public service and I will clearly file a complaint for violating my right under the Constitution to free movement.’
Over the weekend it was also reported that Gazza had to break up a row between Daniela and Vera Gemma while they were quarantining in their hotel, when the animal activist accused the actress of wearing a real fur coat.
It comes after Paul left viewers in hysterics with his attempts at speaking Italian during his appearance on L’Isola dei Famosi.
Opinionated: Daniela rose to fame in her native Italy in 2009 as a contestant on that country’s version of Big Brother, Grande Fratello, but quit the show after just 22 days
Getting stuck in: After being dropped on the island the group started to get to grips with learning how to survive
Hunting them down: Gazza and his fellow islanders soon had to learn how to hunt down fish in the hope they wouldn’t starve
New friend? Gazza channelled Tom Hanks’ character in the 2000 film Castaway by constructing his own Wilson from a coconut
Funny: Quickly bonding with his new fruit friend, he kissed and embraced it while filming for the reality TV series continued
Steer clear? His co-star Daniela, has sparked controversy in the past for her outspoken views on the Covid pandemic, and questioning of the virus’ existence
Peacemaker? Over the weekend it was also reported that Gazza had to break up a row between Daniela and Vera Gemma while they were quarantining in their hotel
The football legend made quite the impression during his introductory video tape, before launching himself out of a helicopter on Monday’s live show.
Gazza, who spent three years at Rome’s club Lazio, did his best at speaking the language but left viewers in fits of giggles when he misunderstood host Ilary Blasi.
Paul was getting stuck into his filming duties for the first live episode as they shot scenes on a remote desert island which is believed to be Cayos Cochinos, Honduras, in Central America, yet his garbled intro stole the show.
Bonding: He was joined on the beach by YouTube star Awed (Simone Paciello), as the pair learned the tricks of hunting on the beach
Catch it! With a stick in hand it seemed Gazza was learning how to catch fish in the hope of learning to survive on the island
Hilarious: It comes after Paul left viewers in hysterics with his attempts at speaking Italian during his appearance on L’Isola dei Famosi
Amusing: The football legend made quite the impression during his introductory video tape, before launching himself out of a helicopter on Monday’s live show
Oh dear! Gazza, who spent three years at Rome’s club Lazio, did his best at speaking the language but left viewers in fits of giggles when he misunderstood host Ilary Blasi
In the interview, Gascoigne was asked about his Italian, to which he said in his strong Geordie accent: ‘It’s OK. It’s only the first day, I’m hoping to improve it.’
He conceded: ‘I’m not speaking perfect Italian’, before beginning his diatribe, in which he bizarrely repeatedly used the word for snakes.
When asked what he was looking forward to, he attempted: ‘serpente’ (snakes), before stating in Italian: ‘Fishing good me, very good me.
‘Hands fish my, team hungry me. Confidence, first day, better speak, soon.’
He added: ‘I’m here for a laugh and the experience,’ before adding in English: ‘I’ll see you all on the f******g island’.
Paul had been studying Italian as he waited to fly out to the island.
A source previously told The Sun: ‘Paul has a basic grasp of Italian and he can make himself understood…
‘But what we really want to avoid is having subtitles too often as that would ruin it.
‘The idea is to get him up to a good conversational level so he can talk with the other competitors. We are expecting some exciting TV from Paul.’
Paul had also spoken to the publication in his native tongue about his strengths and what he will bring to camp.
Asked what he can offer his 14 fellow campers, Paul said: ‘I’m good at fishing,’ before adding: ‘My best quality is that I can make people laugh and I’m always laughing.’
A source said: ‘Paul is in top form. He told producers he has spent lockdown in England keeping fit by running and cycling, and it’s certainly paid off.
‘He looks phenomenal and has a physique any man half his age would be proud of.’
And the former footballer made a dramatic debut as he arrived via a helicopter and had to jump into the ocean from a height and swim to the island.
‘I’m not perfect speaking Italian’: In the interview Gascoigne was asked about his Italian, to which he said in his Geordie accent: ‘It’s OK. It’s only the first day. I’m hoping to improve’
Debut: The football legend who used to play for Italian team Lazio in the 90s, went shirtless as he showed off his famous inkings, including a design of daughter Bianca’s, 34, face
Whoops! Paul also suffered a language gaffe when asked what he was looking forward to, he repeatedly said: ‘serpente’ (snakes)
Paul was joined for the first day by his L’Isola dei Famosi, the Island of the Famous, co-stars including actors Gilles Rocca, Simone Paciello, Vera Gemma, Akshay Kumar, Roberto Ciufoli, Angela Melillo and Francesca Lodo.
Also pictured were DJ Daniela Martani, business owner Ferdinando Guglielmotti, model Drusilla Gucci and presenter Elisa Isoardi. Other stars involved in the series are actor Brando Giorgi, actress Valentina Persia and presenter Beppe Braida.
Personality: He added: ‘I’m here for a laugh and the experience,’ before adding in English: ‘I’ll see you all on the f******g island’.
Wow: And the former footballer made a dramatic debut as he arrived via a helicopter and had to jump into the ocean from a height and swim to the island
Paul appears to have already struck up a friendship with Italian actor Gilles, 38, as they were seen hugging on the beach after their dramatic arrivals.
The former footballer went shirtless in a pair of black swimming shorts for the arrival, where he showed off a collection of his tattoos.
Paul famously visited a tattoo parlour five days in a row in 2013 as he underwent a series of inkings, including daughter Bianca’s face, at Bournemouth Ink studio.
The former England star has previously said that he had turned to tattoos as a way of battling his alcohol addiction.
The star, who passed a series of mental and physical tests for the show, recently claimed he was banned from joining the cast of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Here! after failing a psych test back in 2009.
He insisted that producers ‘pre-judged him’ meaning he failed the tests.
Co-stars: Also pictured was DJ Daniela Martani, business owner Ferdinando Guglielmotti, model Drusilla Gucci and presenter Elisa Isoardi (the entire cast pictured together)