Michael Palin granted 'unprecedented access' to North Korea for new travel series
'The visit was an eye-opener for me, and I’m sure it will be the same for others'
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Louise Thomas
Editor
Michael Palin may have travelled around the world in 80 days, but the comedian - nor many other Westerners – has ever ventured deep into North Korea.
After two years of negotiations and planning, the former Monty Python was granted 'unprecedented' access to make a documentary about the secretive country.
Coinciding with the historic meeting between North and South Korea, Palin met with the people of the country to discuss their reactions to the news while also visiting “sites and locations rarely, if ever, explored”.
“To visit North Korea was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down,” Palin said. “For somewhere that is so often in the forefront of the news, it remains a complete mystery to most of us. That we were able to travel across the country and get some sense of everyday life was enormously exciting.
“The visit was an eye-opener for me, and I’m sure it will be the same for others. In all my travels around the world I have never had the same sense of fascination and revelation as on this journey to North Korea.”
The travelogue will air on Channel 5 later this year under the titled Michael Palin in North Korea. ITN Productions will make the series, the head of which, Will Smith, said: “Given the constantly shifting political landscape between North Korea and the rest of the world, this insight into life for ordinary people in what is often dubbed a ‘hermit kingdom’ could not be more relevant.”
Meanwhile, discussions between North Korea and America are proving fraught, Donald Trump recently saying his meeting with Kim Jong-un may be delayed once more.
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