Dancing duo Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice have packed their passports once again for Anton and Giovanni’s Adventures in Spain.
The pair, who have become firm favorites with Strictly Come Dancing fans over the years took viewers traveling with them last year in Anton and Giovanni's Adventures in Sicily where they spent time sampling the local delights of Gio's home island, as well as getting into many scrapes and even finding themselves on the wrong side of the law!
But this time it is Anton's turn to play tour guide as he introduces Giovanni to a place that he fell in love with as a child. Having spent his school summer holidays with his Spanish family in the North of the country, Anton is very excited for Giovanni to experience everything Spain has to offer from surfing to sangrias and from festivals to flamencos!
The BBC announced Anton and Gio's new series back in September 2023 along with a cheeky first-look snap of the Strictly Come Dancing 2023 stars (above) — and here is everything we know about Anton and Giovanni’s Adventures in Spain...
Where to watch Anton and Giovanni’s Adventures in Spain
Anton and Giovanni’s Adventures in Spain started on Monday, March 18 at 9pm on BBC One. The final episode aired on Monday, April 1.
There are three episodes, and the whole series is now available on BBC iPlayer.
If you haven't seen the first season, then Anton and Giovanni’s Adventures in Sicily is also available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Anton and Giovanni’s Adventures in Spain locations
Episode one
In the first leg of their journey Anton and Giovanni drive across the Andalusian region. After a dramatic arrival in a hot air balloon, the boys touch down just outside the region's capital city, Seville.
The first stop is the Plaza de España, one of the city's most beloved landmarks. True to form, as soon as they spot the gondolas a race ensues, with the loser paying for the ice-creams. Anton and Gio spot a shop selling one of Spain's most famous accessories, the hand fan, the boys discover a whole secret coded language neither knew existed before.
The duo’s next destination for the day is Ronda, one of Anton’s mums’ suggestions and one of the most photographed places in Spain, perfect for a selfie!
Anton gives Giovanni a chance to conquer his fear of heights as they walk the Caminito del Rey, once known as the most dangerous trail in the world. The walkway is pinned along the steep walls of a narrow gorge, 100 metres off the ground, but with Anton’s support will Gio face his fears?
To conclude the first part of their Spanish odyssey, they arrive in Granada to visit the Alhambra - one of the country's most visited tourist attractions. The city is the birth place of Flamenco and Anton and Gio are treated to an evening of Flamenco the likes of which the boys haven’t seen before.
Episode 2
Anton and Gio’s road trip continues as they waltz their way up the south coast to one of the UK's favourite holiday hot spots, Benidorm.
Dubbed by Anton as “the Blackpool of Spain”, the pair take to the strip, with showman Gio really getting into the spirit of Benidorm night life, preparing a surprise for his best friend...
Back on the road, Anton and Giovanni go in search of some authentic Spanish grub, and nothing says Spain like a Paella! Anton takes Giovanni to the rural flatlands just outside Valencia to harvest rice, an integral part of Spanish cuisine.
Next stop, the capital of Spain – Madrid. To soak up the atmosphere the boys head out to party, this weekend is festival weekend in town - Paloma Fiesta. They start the evening off at a traditional Paso doble dance competition - a fitting end to the second leg of their journey.
Episode 3
The final installment will see Anton and Giovanni conclude their journey in the Basque region, where they spend the night in a medieval castle and are joined by Anton's wife, twins and his mother, leading to an emotional journey to the village where he grew up.
The trip ends in Bilbao, where they perform at the Semana Grande festival to an audience of over 30,000 people.
Speaking of their adventures, Anton says: "It is such a treat for me to be able to take my dear friend Giovanni to a country that I hold so close to my heart. What a joy it is to be able to share this marvelously jovial jaunt with both Gio and all the wonderful viewers watching at home.
"I enjoyed the whole thing, from Seville to Bilbao, our little dip into Benidorm was a lot of fun too - I enjoyed that enormously. We did an aqua aerobics class. I mean, it was so up our street really, being with the Brits there in the sun, in the pool and messing about, that’s us really. It really was a lot of fun."
Gio added: "I have been to Barcelona before for dance competitions, so I just went in and out of Spain for the competitions – I’d travel on the Friday, do the competition and back home on the Sunday. So I didn't really explore much the same way Anton and I have. It's very similar to Italy, good food, good weather, good vibes."
Will there be any dancing?
Of course, no show with Anton and Gio would be complete without some dancing, and Mel Balac, Creative Director, BBC Studios has confirmed they will be showing off their fancy footwork: "We’re thrilled to be following the boys on another epic and intimate adventure. Hold tight for plenty of laughs, a few tears and some new look song and dance numbers in the Spanish sunshine."
The boys will also be strutting their stuff with a septuagenarian flamenco dancer in Granada! Anton told us: “That was amazing. Giovanni fancied a bit of flamenco action, he couldn’t help himself, so he got up there. The old lady was incredible!”
Giovanni added: “Anton and I both knew the dance style and we’d learnt our own ways, but then you go into the specifics and we looked at each other and said, ‘We’ve been doing something wrong all this time!’”
Will there be any special guests?
Last year we saw Giovanni's Strictly Come Dancing celebrity partner Rose Ayling-Ellis join the boys for part of their adventures, and this series will see another familiar face from Strictly joining for a special cameo when they meet pro-dancer Gorka Márquez in his native northern Spain...
Giovanni told us: “Gorka showed us where he is from and we did some surfing together. But watersports are not our thing!”
“Yes, even when we did aqua aerobics in a pool in Benidorm, we struggled with the timing!," laughs Anton. "But we did traditional Basque sports [known as Herri Kirolak] with Gorka and it turns out I’m wiry but strong!”
Is there a trailer for Anton and Giovanni’s Adventures in Spain?
Yes, the trailer for Anton and Giovanni’s Adventures in Spain was shared on Instagram by Giovanni and Strictly Come Dancing, and you can watch it below...
