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Sheffield-born comedian, actor, writer and TV presenter Michael Palin shares his castaway choices with Roy Plomley.

Palin’s theatrical career began at Oxford University where he wrote and performed with friends. David Frost saw Palin and Terry Jones perform at the Edinburgh Festival and brought all future members of Monty Python together, first as writers for satirical TV show The Frost Report.

After finishing at Oxford, Palin compered a TV comedy show in Bristol, much to his parents’ disappointment, but eventually convinced the Â鶹Éç to commission Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

This surreal TV sketch show series starred Palin, along with John Cleese, Terry Jones, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam.

After a bumpy start, Python became a huge influence on British comedy.

DISC ONE: Things Ain't What They Used To Be - Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
DISC TWO: Tales of Men's Shirts - The Goons
DISC THREE: Londonderry Air (Danny Boy) - Black Dyke Band
DISC FOUR: You're A Heartbreaker - Elvis Presley
DISC FIVE: And When They Ask Us - The Rita Williams Singers
DISC SIX: Lullaby of Broadway - Dick Powell & Wini Shaw
DISC SEVEN: Things We Said Today - The Beatles
DISC EIGHT: Edward Elgar’s Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36: Variation IX "Nimrod" - London Symphony Orchestra

BOOK CHOICE: Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
LUXURY CHOICE: Bed
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Edward Elgar’s Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36: Variation IX "Nimrod" - London Symphony Orchestra

Producer: Derek Drescher

First broadcast on Â鶹Éç Radio 4 in November 1979.