Bruno Tonioli

“My parents wanted me to work in a bank or as an accountant.”

“In reality, nobody gets successful in America by being lazy.”

“Mum had a job fitting upholstery into cars, but, in the evenings, she worked as a seamstress.”

“I've been in love with the cinema since childhood and it's a fantasy of mine to appear in a Hollywood movie.”

“I eat well, but I don't believe in diets.”

“I'm a sucker for turquoise sea, white beaches and palm trees. I've been to the tropics every year since I could afford it. It's the perfect place to unwind. I can chill out, read, do a bit of yoga.”

“I always sleep on my own. I can't sleep with somebody else. Always separate bedrooms, bathrooms and closets. I'm very individual and I want my own space.”

“If I had a place with a studio where I could paint I'd be happy.”

“I think a lot of people have a vision of L.A. in which TV executives and movie directors plan their latest productions by the swimming pool.”

“In America they like my spicy TV alter ego, probably because there were a lot of Italians and Hispanics in the country, but the real L.A. life is a hard-working one.”

“When people feel threatened by you, they find something that is belittling.”

“I love to cook.”

“When I was 10, I knew there was something different about me. Everyone was football-mad, but I just wanted to watch musicals and see art.”

“Dad was a bus driver, and when he finished work he would repair cars.”

“When I visit a country, I like to experience local food.”

“I love contemporary art, although I wouldn't want a pickled shark in my house.”

“I am a simple man.”

“Once I moved to London I thought it was unbeatable. I work a lot in L.A. and love it, but would never give up London. It's a true world city, with an energy that's unique.”

“When people speak their own language you get a much better sense of who they are.”

“It's horrible how money and fame can make you acceptable while, if you're not famous or rich, you're not acceptable.”