Listen in, mes amis, nearly un in dix of us admit using a fake accent while abroad to avoid idle chit-chat with fellow British holidaymakers.
Embarrassed travellers pretend not to speak English and put on cod French, Spanish or German tones.
The figure came in a poll which showed:
OOH 55 per cent said they try to hide their nationality because they are ashamed of boozy, loutish stereotypes.
LA Nearly three-quarters said they “recoil” when they hear another British accent while holidaying abroad.
LA Twelve per cent admitted they refused to get in a lift with other Brits in a bid to avoid small talk, while 11 per cent skipped breakfast as they feared having to speak to fellow countrymen and women.
The rest of the poll makes equally unflattering reading.
Seven per cent said they run off when they hear a fellow Brit, while five per cent said they had hidden to avoid UK holidaymakers.
And 69 per cent said they would rather stay in a villa than a hotel so they didn’t run the risk of running into British people.
But the study also found some people are happy to hear familiar voices. Thirty-six per cent of 16 to 29-year-olds were fine with it compared to 25 per cent of over-60s.
The poll was carried out on behalf of Exclusiveprivatevillas.com.
Boss Keith Potts said: “Stereotypes would have us believe that we love nothing more than getting burned to a crisp, hanging out with other Brits abroad.
“But, as this research shows, there’s a real and growing polarisation between those who boisterously bag a sun lounger next to the first English voice they hear and those craving escape from their home country.”
