Michael Palin

In 1966, he married Helen Gibbins whom he first met seven years earlier when on a holiday in Southwold, Suffolk. The couple have three children and a grandchild.

Virgin Trains’ high speed Super Voyager is named after him and ‘National Express East Anglia’ also named British Rail Class 153 after Michael Palin in honour of his achievements as a traveller.

Palin was born on May 5, 1943 in Broomhill, Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. He is the second child of Mary Rachel Ovey and Edward Moreton Palin. His father was an engineer working for a steel firm. His grandfather, Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Lockhart Ovey, was High Sheriff of Oxfordshire.

He started his education at Birkdale Preparatory School, Sheffield, and later attended Shrewsbury School. He was close to his sister Angela who was nine years older to him.

In 1962, Palin joined the Brasenose College, Oxford, to study history. For Christmas celebrations, he wrote and performed comedy with fellow student Robert Hewison. College mate Terry Jones saw that performance, and joined them.

He graduated in 1965 and later became a presenter on a comedy pop show called “Now!” for Television Wales and the West. Terry Jones contacted him, and together they became a writing duo.

Palin and Jones wrote comedy for various BBC programs, such as The Ken Dodd Show, The Billy Cotton Bandshow, and The Illustrated Weekly Hudd. They collaborated in writing lyrics for Barry Booth’s album “Diversions”.

They wrote for ‘The Frost Report’ along with other team members including Frank Muir, Barry Cryer, Marty Feldman, Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett, Dick Vosburgh, Graham Chapman, John Cleese and Eric Idle.

The Palin-Jones team wrote for “The Late Show” and “A series of Bird’s”. They worked as actors and writers on “Twice a Fortnight”, and the children’s comedy show “Do Not Adjust Your Set”.

In Monty Python, Palin played various roles such as the lumberjack of the Lumberjack Song, the Dead Parrot vendor, Cheese Shop proprietor, Postal Clerk, and inept characters such as Arthur Putey, and Mr. Anchovy.

He supported the cause of sustainable transport, particularly those relating to urban areas, and assisted Campaign for Better Transport and other campaigns. He has been president of the campaign since 1986.