An English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries. He wrote most of his comedic material with Terry Jones, with whom he had previously worked. on other shows such as The Ken Dodd Show, The Frost Report and Do Not Adjust Your Set. He continued to work with Jones after Python, co-writing Ripping Yarns. He has also appeared in several films directed by fellow Python Terry Gilliam and made notable appearances in other films such as A Fish Called Wanda, for which he won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

After Python, he began a new career as a travel writer and travel documentarian. His journeys have taken him across the world, including the North and South Poles, the Sahara desert, the Himalayas and, most recently, Eastern Europe.