大象传媒

The Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has weathered a seemingly endless run of allegations about his private life recently.

According to his government, claims about his relationship with a young woman whose 18th birthday party he attended in Naples and reports of him inviting scores of young models to his residence on Sardinia - are just smears orchestrated by the Italian opposition.

An allegation that continues to be a thorn in the side of Mr Berlusconi, though, concerns what one woman - a former escort and now actress and model, Patrizia D'Addario, has had to say - in public - about him.

And in particular, it concerns an assertion she makes that she spent a night with him.

She has embarked on a publicity campaign to promote a forthcoming book about her life.

Europe Today's Manuela Saragosa has been following the story.

In her first interview with the English language media, Patrizia D'Addario been talking to Manuela Saragosa on the line from Italy.

The 大象传媒 approached the Italian Foreign Ministry and the Prime Minister's office and asked them to comment, but neither could provide anyone for an interview or a written statement.

Giampaolo Tarrantini's lawyer is Nicola Quaranta. Here is a summary of what he told us:

"We are not going to comment on interviews that Patrizia D' Addario is giving to the media. It is strange that during a criminal probe she is even talking to the media about the allegations she made with the judicial authorities in Italy. We do not know until the investigations are completed what Giampaolo Tarrantini is accused of. We don't think Patrizia D'Addario is telling the truth. "

To assess how this scandal has affected Mr Berlusconi, Europe Today's Robyn Bresnahan spoke to Geoff Andrews, the author of the book: Not a Normal Country: Italy after Berlusconi.

How much has this rocked the Italian prime minister's authority?

First broadcast 31 July 2009