Languages have also proved an asset for sports stars such as Britain's tennis hope Andy Murray, who learned his craft in Spain, and boxing legend Ricky Hatton, who taught himself Spanish after he bought a house in Tenerife. And let's not forget all those lucky football stars who have made great careers for themselves in Europe!

It's not just celebrities who speak languages either. Experts tell us many of Britain's richest young entrepreneurs are also linguists, such as financier James Benamor (French) and tyres magnate Mike Welch (Spanish).