START your day by digesting these interesting facts about February 11, then amaze (or bore) your friends and workmates with your new-found golden nuggets of knowledge.

Historical event

1. It was on this day in 1976 when John Curry won Britain's first Olympic gold in figure skating. It was the country's first medal at the winter games for 12 years.

2. Did you know ... Britain had a haul of 22 medals from the 21 Winter Olympics prior to Sochi 2014.

3. The most medals for Britain from one Winter Games was four all the way back in 1924.

Birthday

4. Today would have been the 88th birthday of comedy actor Leslie Nielsen, who was born in 1926 and died in 2010.

5. One of his most famous characters, Detective Frank Drebin, is being brought back in a reboot of The Naked Gun. The bumbling cop will reportedly be played by The Hangover and We’re the Millers star Ed Helms.

6. Did you know ... in one final gag, Nielsen’s epitaph reads "Let 'er rip".

Awareness week

7. February 11 is within Marriage Week UK, which runs until Valentine’s Day. The event aims to get people talking about relationships and the skills needed to sustain them, as well as getting married couples to remember what made them fall in love to begin with.

8. Did you know ... taking into account wedding day costs, honeymoon and guests’ expenses, the average total cost of a wedding in the UK is put at £36,000 by Hitched.co.uk

9. More than 40 per cent of marriages will end in divorce.

10. Divorces are most likely to occur between the fourth and eighth wedding anniversary.