“Always travel with a fish-slapping dance in your bag.”

— Michael Palin

What value does a fish-slapping dance have when travelling in authoritarian countries? Quite a lot, as it turns out…

In this episode of Explore, founding member of Monty Python, acclaimed travel documentarian, author, and Honorary Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Michael Palin joins host David McGuffin to reflect on a lifetime of comedy, curiosity, and crossing borders.

From being detained by paramilitary guards in Venezuela (and saved by Monty Python YouTube clips), to plunging into frigid waters to retrace the doomed Franklin Expedition in the Canadian Arctic, to starring in films like Life of Brian and Brazil, Palin shares stories that are hilarious, thoughtful, and quietly profound.

Now 82, Palin shows no signs of slowing down. 

Alongside his work as an actor, author, and travel documentarian, Palin’s involvement in Monty Python has helped establish the comedy troupe as one of the world’s most influential. Beyond comedy, Palin has spent decades creating landmark travel documentary series, including Around the World in 80 Days, Pole to Pole, Full Circle, Sahara, Himalaya, and, most recently, Venezuela. He is the author of multiple bestselling books, including Erebus, his acclaimed history of one of the ships from Sir John Franklin’s lost Arctic expedition. 



Palin is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and the recipient of RCGS medals, including the first Louie Kamookak Medal, which recognizes respect for Inuit knowledge and northern history.

In this episode

• Why the fish-slapping dance may be the perfect piece of Python humour
• Monty Python’s surprising Canadian connections, from CBC protests to the Lumberjack Song
• Palin’s journey through Venezuela, North Korea, Iraq, and other dodgy places
• Why The Life of Brian is his favourite Python film
• Talking about the weather with Robert DeNiro
• What the Franklin Expedition reveals about colonial blind spots and the importance of Inuit knowledge
• Visiting Franklin expedition graves on Beechey Island in Canada's High Arctic
• How Around the World in 80 Days changed the way Palin approached storytelling
• Why Palin avoids interviewing presidents — and prefers talking to everyday people
• The magic of truly disappearing while travelling
• Reflections on aging, curiosity, and why Palin never wants to retire

Did you know that Michael Palin has done a polar plunge — and loved it! Learn more about the Canadian Geographic Polar Plunge and support Canadian storytelling at rcgs.org/polarplunge2026