Monty Python star Michael Palin found himself in a terrifying situation in which he was detained by armed guards in Venezuela.
Mr Palin, 82, was filming his new Channel 5 travel show in the South American country when he was held at gunpoint.
The three-part series sees the actor and comedian visiting the totalitarian country, and at one point, he was stopped by officers from SEBIN, the country's sinister intelligence service.
Thankfully, it is understood that he eventually ended up being let go for a hilarious reason.
Sir Michael Palin shared the frightening ordeal
| PAMr Palin showed the officers a clip from his comedy troupe Monty Python's famous fish slapping skit, and the guards decided to let him leave.
"Things got quite heavy. It wasn't just the fact that they stopped us from filming, it was the force with which we were stopped," he recalled to The Telegraph.
He continued: "It started with a couple of policemen, then a couple of the National Guard, and then along came men with rifles, bulletproof vests and helmets.
"It was the kind of thing you'd expect to encounter if an embassy was being bombed; it was quite alarming."
Michael Palin starred alongside Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Eric Idle in Monty Python
|GETTY
Mr Palin added: "The outcome was rather bizarre, because while we were waiting to hear our fate from the headquarters in Caracas, the guards had found my name on Google," the publication reports.
"Eventually, they got onto Monty Python clips, and they watched the fish slapping dance, which is always a good thing to show people.
"Nearly everyone in the world, from North Korea to Venezuela, cracks up when they see that.
"Once we'd shown them the fish slapping dance, I felt we were OK, and by the end of the day, they finally released us.
"But I did feel we could well be watched from thereon in, given the detention we endured at gunpoint."
Mr Palin and his team also had their bags searched, with the contents photographed before their passports were taken away for several hours.
The comedian admitted: "I understood why they were taking pictures of the equipment, but who wants a photo of my old underpants.
"But they faithfully did this, and it took hours. We were very tired and we hadn’t had anything to eat, so by mid-afternoon they agreed that they would let us go to a restaurant, provided the guards were there with their rifles."
Michael Palin was 'saved' by a Monty Python skit
| PAThe veteran actor has faced his fair share of trials abroad, having also visited Iraq and North Korea.
Despite the dangers, the beloved star has no plans to stop anytime soon.
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Michael Palin has been in several risky situations while filming his travel shows
| ITV"I've got no plans to retire at all," he declared. Mr Palin has been candid about his grief in the last couple of years after losing his wife of almost 60 years, Helen Gibbins, in 2023.
Speaking recently, he said on the Marie Curie podcast: "I do think about death, and my family is incredibly supportive about it.
"They often ask, 'Have you made a will? Can I be in your will?' I've made my will, and my children know exactly where to find what they need if something happens to me."
Michael Palin in Venezuela airs on September 16 at 9pm on Channel 5.