Bomb on Plane is a sketch that appears in "The Nude Organist," the thirty-fifth episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Synopsis[]
In the cockpit of an airliner, Captain McPherson (Michael Palin) welcomes his passengers aboard East Scottish Airways over the intercom. He mentions that they'll have had their tea by then, that their destination is Glasgow and that there is no need to panic. Suddenly, Mr. Badger (Eric Idle) barges into the cockpit and stands awkwardly at the back, stating that he has hidden a bomb on the plane and offers a 1,000 pound ransom for its location. The co-pilot (John Cleese) turns around and says he doesn't believe Badger, who tries to double down on his threat. He struggles to put together a sentence and mistakes his subjects and objects "If you don't tell me where the bomb is...If I don't give you the money..." until a stewardess (Carol Cleveland) helps him say that unless the pilots give him the money, the bomb will explode and will kill everyone of the plane. The co-pilot matter-of-factly remarks that that will include Mr. Badger as well.
A beat passes as Mr. Badger slowly realizes his mistake before he lowers his ransom to 1 pound. He adds that it must be an English pound note because Scottish pounds have serial numbers that can be tracked. The co-pilot gives him a pound and demands the location of the bomb. Mr. Badger then claims he can't remember and gives the co-pilot his pound back (being careful to rub any fingerprints off of it). Capt. MacPherson then demands the location of the bomb again, while Mr. Badger tries to remember, closing his eyes in concentration. He then recites a strange rhyme, "My first is in Glasgow but not in Spain / my second is in steamer but not in train / my whole is in the luggage compartment on the plane." He then repeats his ransom of one pound for the location of the bomb, but the co-pilot easily guesses the luggage compartment, prompting Mr. Badger to give him another pound.
The director of the sketch (Graham Chapman) enters the sketch and asks the other characters if Mr. Badger has been giving them any trouble. MacPherson and the co-pilot agree that he's already ruined the sketch, prompting the director to suggest they all move on to the next one. Badger suddenly stops them and offers not to ruin the sketch for a pound, which the others refuse and start to leave the set. Badger tries to lower his offer to 75p, but by then the others have left and moved on to the next item.
Trivia[]
- This sketch may have been influenced by the Airliner Sketch ("The wings are not on fire") from John Cleese's pre-Python show, How to Irritate People, which featured Graham Chapman and Michael Palin.