Why? Well, Italy is the country that has given us such delectable dishes as torta di cioccolato, sorbetto al limone and zabaglione - and they don't call me the dessert fox for nothing! It also gave us Sophia Loren, Claudia Cardinale and Gina Lollobrigida. I'd always wanted to go to Italy after seeing Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn. (She paid for the tickets!) Funnily enough, I have also often been mentioned in the same breath as the handsome, witty and charismatic Mr Gregory Peck - although he's a little taller than me and not so fond of jelly babies.

The best thing: There are so many marvellous things in Italy... for one, memories of Venice come flooding back. I can still smell the pungent aromas of the waterways - my favourite fragrance was Canal Number 5. Then there's Milan and La Scala opera. I once saw Pavarotti sing. He really is big, isn't he? In fact he's so big, he could be described as a built-up aria. Florence is a beautiful city. I remember going to an exhibition of paintings by that Italian/American Tony Bennett. It was wonderful. I'm so glad he didn't leave his art in San Francisco.

My ideal day: Perfection for me is appearing before an audience, so that's what I'd love to do. Wherever I've appeared, I've always enjoyed marvellous audiences and it was in Rome that I had the best ever - it was with the Pope. He entertained me in the Vatican and then very kindly invited me to appear on the balcony overlooking St Peter's Square. We waved to the crowds and they cheered and cheered. It was deafening. A great thrill for me. It was even more exciting when I heard someone shout out: "Who's that with Basil?" And how kind it was of them to name the Basilica after me.

My advice: You just have to visit Pisa during your stay. It really is lovely and perfect for a few lazy days. Did you know there are plans underway to put a clock on the leaning tower? Soon, the residents and visitors will have both the time and the inclination. Boom! Boom!

Getting there: Ryanair (0870 156 9569, ryanair.com) flies to 10 destinations in Italy from Stansted. Return fares start at around £41, including taxes.

Celebrity fox Basil Brush has just published his autobiography, My Story (Boxtree, £12.99).