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An Idiot Abroad

  • TV Series
  • 2010–2012
  • TV-14
  • 43m
IMDb RATING
8.3/10
35K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,403
658
Karl Pilkington in An Idiot Abroad (2010)
An Idiot Abroad: Season 1
Play trailer1:59
7 Videos
41 Photos
Travel DocumentaryAdventureComedyDocumentaryReality TV

British comedy duo Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant send their simple and closed-minded friend Karl Pilkington on a trip around the world to experience a variety of people and cultures.British comedy duo Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant send their simple and closed-minded friend Karl Pilkington on a trip around the world to experience a variety of people and cultures.British comedy duo Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant send their simple and closed-minded friend Karl Pilkington on a trip around the world to experience a variety of people and cultures.

  • Stars
    • Karl Pilkington
    • Ricky Gervais
    • Stephen Merchant
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.3/10
    35K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,403
    658
    • Stars
      • Karl Pilkington
      • Ricky Gervais
      • Stephen Merchant
    • 59User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 8 nominations total

    Episodes21

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated

    Videos7

    Streaming Passport to China
    Clip 4:35
    Streaming Passport to China
    An Idiot Abroad: Season 1
    Trailer 1:59
    An Idiot Abroad: Season 1
    An Idiot Abroad: Season 1
    Trailer 1:59
    An Idiot Abroad: Season 1
    An Idiot Abroad: Clip 6
    Trailer 1:46
    An Idiot Abroad: Clip 6
    An Idiot Abroad: Clip 4
    Trailer 1:13
    An Idiot Abroad: Clip 4
    An Idiot Abroad: Clip 3
    Trailer 1:21
    An Idiot Abroad: Clip 3
    An Idiot Abroad: Clip 5
    Trailer 2:04
    An Idiot Abroad: Clip 5

    Photos41

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    Top cast23

    Edit
    Karl Pilkington
    Karl Pilkington
    • Self - Presenter…
    • 2010–2012
    Ricky Gervais
    Ricky Gervais
    • Self
    • 2010–2012
    Stephen Merchant
    Stephen Merchant
    • Self
    • 2010–2011
    Richard Yee
    Richard Yee
    • Self…
    • 2010–2012
    Luke Campbell
    Luke Campbell
    • Self - Interviewer
    • 2010–2012
    Warwick Davis
    Warwick Davis
    • Self - Presenter…
    • 2011–2012
    Ganga Mondal
    • Self - Spider Sister
    • 2012
    Jamuna Mondal
    • Self - Spider Sister
    • 2012
    Ramy Romany
    Ramy Romany
    • Self
    • 2010
    Ahmed Seddik
    • Self
    • 2010
    Celso Maciel
    • Self
    • 2010
    Seija Nurmi
    • Self
    • 2010
    Andrew Gee
    • Self
    • 2010
    Marty Raney
    • Guide…
    Jamie Jay Johnson
    • Self - Interviewer
    • 2011
    Benjamin Green
    • Interviewer
    Chas & Dave
    Chas & Dave
    • Themselves
    • 2011
    Sam Aaron
    • Self
    • 2011
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews59

    8.335.3K
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    Featured reviews

    10lton65

    Really funny.....for the most part

    I love Karl Pilkington and have loved this series to date (4 episodes). I agree with many other reviews that certain parts were disappointing e.g the Israeli kidnapping, but in the main the show has been fantastic. Karl Pilkington is both the weirdest bloke I've ever seen but at the same time the most normal too....go figure! I love his monologues and anecdotes and my only complaint would be that the show should have more of these and fewer gimmicks/stunts.

    As a concept, the show is great. Miserable, small-headed Manc going around the world's most prestigious and cultural locations moaning about them all. If you can just ignore the occasional blatant contrivance and enjoy the show for what it is, you'll love it.

    Best line ever on the nudist beach, "Never seen anyone bend down as much as that bloke!" - quality!
    10nitedrive73

    You'll find no better travel guide...

    Finally,an honest travel guide to accompany you to the most famous sightings in the world.Don't expect adoring sighs and ramblings about the lovely local beverages and cuisine though.

    And that's exactly what makes this series a stroke of genius.Karl is a reluctant traveler and not easily impressed.He engages in philosophical monologues,and he's almost always spot-on.Even the most experienced globe-trotter laughing at Karls awkward attempts to mount a Mexican rodeo horse or Egyptian camel will probably agree,even if not out loud. Most exotic activities and festivities he will refer to as being "mental". He fills his suitcase with Monster Munch thus hoping to evade the worst expressions of local cuisine.Such as toad and balls. To no avail.Because Gervais and Merchant have,naturellement,booked him at the scruffiest of hotels(if he even gets to a hotel)and arranged for him to eat and experience things he probably never wanted to do ever in his life.To make things worse they send numerous text messages simply to annoy him.At one point Karl ponders the use of modern technology in the western world,how we mostly use it as entertainment. Behind him deaf Egyptian fast-food restaurant employees use their mobiles to make video calls. And Karl produces his own mobile to show for the camera what his friend Ricky G usually send him. I love it.Every annoying thing about traveling that you never dared to mention to your people-of-world friends will be aired here. Go watch!Pronto!
    9graeme-173

    Laugh Out Loud Funny

    I happened upon this programme by accident as whilst enjoying The Office and Extras I'd become a little bored of Ricky Gervaises Hollywood offerings. I'd never heard of Karl Pilkington, but within minutes of watching the first episode I was crying with laughter. Karl's view of the world is so honest and uneffected that he says what the rest of us are thinking most of the time. Pure genius - a travel programme that doesn't take itself seriously, is funny yet still hits the emotional buttons in each of the episodes I've watched so far. From a travel perspective he stays in places that your average tourists wouldn't stay in and whilst not necessarily enjoying the experience Karl makes an effort to immerse himself in the local culture. He is full of wisdom - and totally without the BS I see in so many other travel programmes.....Karl - you are a star!
    amesmonde

    One of the greatest travel shows ever

    An Idiot Abroad features a guy who loves the comfort of his own home travelling the globe in order to visit each of the Seven Wonders of the World.

    A friend of actor/comedians Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant who also appear in the series, Karl at times comes across as a dim wit but most of the time makes some hilarious observations and raises questions monkeys want answering.

    This is one of the greatest travel shows you'll ever see, there is a truth and an unwitting innocence in everything Karl Pilkington says and does. With comments like "...a little tornado innit. You don't see that in the brochure. Shitty old nappy whizzing through the air. They tend to leave that out." While standing in Egypt not far from the Pyramids of Gaza. "What's so good about The Amazon? Can't be that good; there are things in it that would rather live in me knob." And (on The Great Wall of China) "Just goes for miles and miles....but so does the M6."

    Granted not everyone will get the British humour or the jokes but there is pleasure in watching presenter Karls pain as he stays in some rotten places, meets some 'interesting' people and eats some varied foods.

    In season two it's more of the same only this time Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have put together a bucket list - things to do before you die. Karl sets off on his travels this time carrying out tasks that most wouldn't want to do, as well as visiting countries and experiencing their diverse cultures.

    It's a kind of Michael Palin gone wrong, mixed with the characters Frank Spencer and Victor Meldrew. You get to follow Karl on his highs and lows, highly recommend reality TV.
    10derektrotteresq

    Absolutely fantastic!

    This is what a travel show should be. It's not sugar coated and it's not like any show thats come before. It's a regular bloke, sent abroad, speaking his mind. Is Karl Pilkington an idiot? Is he a genius? It's very hard to tell, but I can tell you one thing and that is, i could watch the bloke on TV all day long and not get bored. One reviewer was complaining that the show was crap (before it aired i might add) because Gervais and Merchant were not in the show as it appeared that they were in the poster campaign.... I couldn't disagree with the reviewer more; Karl Pilkington is what makes 'the Ricky Gervais' podcasts funny and Karl Pilkington is what makes this show funny.

    Gervais and Merchant are fantastic writers and the Office and Extra's are amazing but at the same time, they know that Pilkington was the main drawer for their podcast and they very wisely came up with this little gem and for that, i applaud them.

    More like this

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    Related interests

    Anthony Bourdain in Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (2013)
    Travel Documentary
    Still frame
    Adventure
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)
    Documentary
    Kim Kardashian in The Kardashians (2022)
    Reality TV

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Karl once produced Ricky and Stephens radio show on XFM
    • Quotes

      Ricky Gervais - Executive Producer: Nothing is funnier than Karl in a corner being poked by a stick. I am that stick.

    • Connections
      Featured in This Morning: Episode dated 22 September 2010 (2010)

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    FAQ16

    • How many seasons does An Idiot Abroad have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 5, 2010 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • Science Channel (United States)
      • Sky 1 (United Kingdom)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • An Idiot Abroad 3
    • Production companies
      • Me + You Productions
      • RiSK Productions
      • Sky
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 43m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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