United Kingdom, Dec. 30 -- Sir Michael Palin believes his comedy background "helps" his travel documentaries.

The Monty Python star has visited closed off countries such as Nigeria, Venezuela, North Korea and Iraq for his most recent programmes and he admitted doing "something daft" made people more open to speaking to him.

He told reporters: "I think doing comedy helps. Having a sense of humour about travelling and the people you meet, that's a very strong thing. It's a very good way to build a bridge between people, like eating. Doing something daft, people quite like that."

While Michael is a "natural optimist", he isn't afraid to show his genuine feelings and reactions on camera.

He said: "I'm a natural optimist, in any situation ...