​Welcome to a brand new feature where we explore all things travel and comedy. The most recent trend in the travel show is to attach a comedy to it and there are so many – some serious, some spoofs, some that are the dynamics of an actual scripted comedy and others because they were one big practical joke! Travel Thursdays have just got bigger as we are now adding a comedic spin on it where we are looking at the comedian versus the travel. So lets start this feature with a show that is a personal favourite of mine and one that i know a lot of people love and laugh a lot to – An Idiot Abroad.

An Idiot Abroad first hit the small screen in September 2010 on Sky One and ran for three seasons. The show was lead by Rickey Gervais and Stephan Merchant and saw their old XFM Producer Karl Pilkington go round the world trying all the things that are completely out of his comfort zone. The thing that made the comedy was that a lot of the things that Karl was set to do was stuff he initially didn’t know he was being sent to do. For example – they made him eat horrible things and do stuff he hates such as bungee jumping.

One of the funniest and also craziest situations that the duo landed Karl in on the first season was a mock hostage situation where Karl is hijacked from filming and stuffed in the back of a car. The shocked reaction of Karl created huge humour to the audience as well as a lot of shock as well.

The first season created the best viewing numbers for a debut episode for Sky One since Terry Prachetts Going Postal. The viewing figures soared up to over 1,000,000 and received really positive reviews as well as increasing figures throughout the season. Season 2 returned to Sky in 2011 and reached 2,659,000 viewers and made it the most watched Sky 1 show since 2005.

There was a book series that ran alongside with the show which was written by Karl Pilkington and was a compliation of the diary entries he wrote whilst on his journeys in the show. It goes more in depth then the television show does and explores more of the adventure that Karl went on.

So if  you are looking for a show to start your travel and comedian journey then this is one that is easy to watch and to laugh to along the way.

Here are some of the best clips of the show.

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