Paul Gascoigne's "nonsense words" have proven to be a hit on the Italian version of 'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!'.
The 53-year-old former footballer - who spent three years playing for Rome club Lazio - left the audience baffled but in fits of laughter with his attempts to regrasp the language, but his efforts were mangled with English words in his native Geordie accent.
Asked by host Ilary Blasi how his Italian was, he said: “It’s OK. It’s only the first day, I’m hoping to improve it.”
But he was then asked what he was looking forward to on 'L’Isola Dei Famosi' - 'The Island of the Famous' - and, misunderstanding the question, then repeatedly said 'serpente', the Italian word for snakes.
He added: “Sing Paul Gascoigne la, la, la, audience Island of the Famous, see me.
“Fishing good me, very good me. Hands fish my, team hungry me. Confidence, first day, better speak, soon.”
Gazza had to jump out of a helicopter before swimming to the island off Honduras and before he tackled the stunt, he showed off his Italian and said: “I’m here for a laugh and the experience.”
He then added in English: “I’ll see you all on the f****** island.”
Singer Elettra Lamborghini, one of the studio commentators, admitted the sporting icon - who is joined on the island by Italian celebrities including Gilles Rocca, Vera Gemma, Francesca Lodo and Daniela Martani - was already her favourite contestant.
She said: “I love Paul Gascoigne.
"He is so funny. I’d never heard of him but he’s making me laugh all the time. He’s my favourite so far.”
And a local TV critic also praised Paul for bringing humour to the programme.
They wrote: “Paul Gascoigne made us laugh with his pidgin Italian.
"Nonsense words, wrong words but to be fair he managed to make himself understood.”