Karl Pilkington will tackle life’s biggest problems in The Moaning Of Life (Picture: Sky)

An Idiot Abroad star Karl Pilkington is to break away from Ricky Gervais for the first time and front his own Sky1 show entitled The Moaning Of Life.

The five-part series will follow the grumpy Mancunian as he travels across the globe to ‘experience how other cultures face up to life’s big issues’.

The Moaning Of Life bears a strong resemblance to his previous Sky1 show An Idiot Abroad, which saw Karl sent to remote destinations by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant in order to experience different ways of life.

‘I’ve been on the planet for 40 years now, and I’m still none the wiser as to what it’s all about really,’ said Pilkington.


Karl Pilkington made his name on podcast and later animated series The Ricky Gervais Show (Picture: Channel 4)

‘I’ve never worried about life’s big questions. People at my age sit about pondering about, ‘Why are we here?’ – the only time I ever asked meself that is when Suzanne booked us a surprise holiday to Lanzarote.’



Speaking of the commission, Sky’s head of factual entertainment Celia Taylor added: ‘We are thrilled to be continuing our relationship with Karl following three series of An Idiot Abroad, which all resonated brilliantly with our customers.

‘The Moaning of Life will be a unique take on the challenges that we all face in life, presented in Karl’s inimitable way.’

Pilkington was joined by dwarf actor Warwick Davis on his last round the world trip, but this will be the first time he has presented a programme on his own.