Michael Palin was appointed chairman in 1986. In 1987 he wrote and appeared in "The Chairman", a programme made by Central Television about the work of Transport 2000. He subsequently retired as chairman and was made president. In 2006 "The Times" reported that Palin was facing moves to oust him as president because of his use of long-distance air travel; it was calculated that he had flown more than a quarter of a million miles in the previous 17 years while making his six TV series. The organisation denied any such suggestion, saying "Michael Palin brings popular appeal, wisdom and a sense of proportion to the transport problems we as a society face today". "The Daily Telegraph" also covered the story in their motoring section, initially claiming that over half of the organisation's funding came from the bus and rail sector, but then correcting the figure to 20%.