Desert Island Discs from outside. Roy Plomley enforced these rules strictly. He did, however, grant a special dispensation to Princess Michael of Kent, who chose her pet cat. The rules are, however, less strictly enforced today; for instance, Lawley allowed John Cleese to take Michael Palin with him, on the condition that he was dead and stuffed. Examples of luxuries have included champagne and a piano, the latter of which is one of the most requested luxuries. After Plomley's death in 1985, the programme was presented by Michael Parkinson and from 1988 by Sue Lawley. Lawley stepped down in August 2006 after 18
Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days Palin's personal views are also more clearly evident. The book contains many pictures from the trip. "Around the World in 80 Days" was the first of a trilogy of globe-crossing series featuring Michael Palin as he visited many countries. The second series was "Pole to Pole" (travelling from the North Pole to the South Pole), an 8-part series first broadcast on BBC One in 1992, and the third was "Full Circle with Michael Palin" (the circumnavigation of the Pacific Rim), a 10-part series first broadcast on BBC One in 1997. The series were followed by several similar conceptual travel series