ANGER OVER ‘POOR PRONE TO PTSD’ REPORT
Python feared for his safety over new show
MICHAEL Palin has told how he feared for his safety while making his new documentary about North Korea.
And the Monty Python legend, 75, revealed his wife Helen urged him not to make the film about everyday life in the secretive dictatorship.
“There was never a moment when I said, ‘I don’t want to do this’,” said Palin on being invited to make the two-part Channel 5 programme.
“But there was a time when I thought it would be rather foolish and, quite uncharacteristically, my dear wife said, ‘I don’t really want you to do this.’
“Normally she is very keen for me to go on holiday.
“That is an indication of how worrying it was and for a long time we thought it honestly would never happen.”
There were fears the country’s volatile leader Kim Jong-un could start a nuclear war as tensions flared between North and South Korea late last year.
The mood lightened when North Korea sent 22 athletes to compete at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea in February.
But despite the improving relations between the two countries, Palin admitted his nerves still got the best of him and kept him awake at night before his departure.
He recalled: “I was briefed before I VETERANS with post-traumatic stress disorder have blasted claims that badly educated young male soldiers from poor backgrounds are more prone to mental illness.
The findings came in a report after an inquiry into mental health in the forces by the Commons defence select committee.
Highly decorated war heroes went and that allayed a lot of my fears but I still did not get a wink of sleep on that train there.
“I thought, ‘If I behave myself well, would that be enough should there be some international incident?’”
Palin was able to travel to North Korea in April and spent 13 days there.
During his stay he witnessed the historic moment Kim Jong-un shook hands with South Korean president Moon Jae-in for the first time at the suffering the condition angrily told the Sunday People that the claims are insulting and deluded. Their criticism came as the suspected suicide of another ex-serviceman brought this year’s toll to 27.
The comments about groups most likely to have pre-existing factors that may affect their mental health were made by Susie Klein, border. But six government security chaperones and two guides accompanied Palin and his crew at all times.
The travel writer also had to surrender his passport.
He said: “There were people in suits who watched our every move and checked everything we did and said.”
In one incident Palin was forced to refilm a segment after he was caught with one of his hands in his pockets in front of the statues of former leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.
He was told by his minders that it was disrespectful and he would have to re-do his speech.
“We abided by the rules and that seemed to be the best way to do it,” he said.
“We were well looked after. Even the minders who were cool and cold to start with turned out to be friendly and human.
“They were not as robotic as we thought.” professor of health and social care at Anglia Ruskin University.
Former bomb disposal officer Major Wayne Owers, medically discharged for suffering PTSD, said: “She is deluded.”
The George Medal winner went on: “I know of at least ten bomb disposal personnel with PTSD and I can state with certainty none are from a poor background with little education. Seeing colleagues and friends killed or disfigured would affect most people, irrespective of wealth or education.”
Military Cross holder and ex-sgt Trevor Coult said: “I don’t think I’ve heard anything so insulting as this report. It shows how little understood this illness is.”