Sir Michael Palin (R 1957-61)

Sir Michael Palin is a writer, broadcaster, author and actor who attended Shrewsbury School from 1957-61, where he boarded in Rigg's Hall.

After leaving Shrewsbury in 1962, he went on to read modern history at Brasenose College, Oxford and graduating in 1965 with ambitions to be a writer and performer.  

One of Palin's most recognisable roles is as part of comedy troupe, Monty Python. in 1969, he joined forces with Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle and Terry Jones for the first series of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, broadcast on BBC Television.

Palin continued to work with Jones away from 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 (1988), for which he won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

He also began a new career as a travel writer and travel documentarian in programmes broadcast on the BBC. His journeys have taken him across the world, including the North and South Poles, the Sahara, the Himalayas, Eastern Europe, and Brazil; in 2018, he visited North Korea, documenting his visit to the isolated country in a series broadcast on Channel 5. His most recent venture saw him travelling to Iraq, which aired in 2022. Following each trip, Palin wrote a book about his travels, providing information and insights not included in the TV programme.

Having been appointed a CBE for services to television in the 2000 New Year Honours, Palin received a knighthood in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to travel, culture and geography.

In May 2022, we were fortunate enough to welcome Sir Michael Palin back to Shrewsbury for a tour of his former boarding house and to officially open Barnes Theatre.