GOOD ODDS: Vinny (left), Pauly D (center) and three women leave a club in Florence at 2:30 a.m.
GOOD ODDS: Vinny, Pauly D and three women leave a club in Florence at 2:30 a.m. (wenn)
ROME — The cast of “Jersey Shore” has split up and hit the road to look for their Italian ancestors.
The hit reality-TV stars have left Florence — where they were filming for the past three weeks.
But, with just 10 days left before they return to the US, the stars are apparently off to find their roots.
Only six of the eight cast members — Denna, Sammi, Mike, Vinny, Pauly D and Ronnie — are actually of Italian origin.
Nicole’s roots are in Chile, and JWoww is of Irish-Spanish descent.
MTV is keeping a tight lid on exactly where each character — with cameras trailing — is heading. But show insiders said locations over the next four days include Bari, Naples, Calabria and Sicily.
Before they arrived in Florence last month, Pauly D spoke of his excitement at the chance to meet relatives he’d never seen before.
“It’s always been a dream of mine,” he said. “I’m excited to see my roots. I have family in Italy, but I don’t speak with them since I don’t know the language.”
They are due back in Florence this weekend, when they are scheduled to film for another week before wrapping up.
The shows will be broadcast starting in August, the network said this week.
“We spent a few weeks tracking down relatives of the various members of the cast, and they were delighted to get a chance to meet their American relatives,” said an MTV insider.
“Some were not so sure — families can always be a bit difficult, and you have to remember these people in Italy probably didn’t even know they had relatives in the United States.
“All of those family members who have agreed to meet up with the cast have had to sign forms allowing filming to take place,” said the insider.
“There are some who have not agreed, so we will have to see how things go.”
When asked who would be driving since Snooki’s driver’s license was revoked following a fender bender last week that put two cops in the hospital, the source said: “We are not taking any chances. They have drivers this time.”
On their return to Florence, the show is expected to film in some of the city’s famous museums, after Mayor Matteo Renzi backtracked on a earlier edict and gave permission to shoot scenes inside.