Michael Palin, member of Monty Python’s Flying Circus and all round bloody nice bloke, follows in the footsteps of Jules Verne’s Philias Phogg and attempts to travel around the world in 80 days using only the transport that would have been available in Verne’s day.
Michael Palin helped make the travelogue genre, once so loved by the likes of Alan Whicker, popular again, his Passepartout here being the small scale camera crew who follow Palin’s every move from leaving London’s reform club to travelling on the Orient express through Saudi Arabia and (one of the series best bits) across the Arabian sea in a very primitive boat called a Dhow.
This section of the series was originally only made to last ten minutes but the journey was so interesting that the planned 6 episode series became a seven episode one with almost a whole episode devoted to the Dhow crossing. Palin’s journey then takes him through India, China and the USA before catching a steamer back to the UK.
Palin has a very relaxed style, super witty of course and makes a great guide on our trip around the world.
Palin set out from the Reform Club in London’s Pal Mall at 9.45am on 25 September 1988.
production details
UK / BBC One / 7×50 minute episodes / Broadcast 11 October – 22 November 1987
Producer: Clem Vallance / Director: Roger Mills
