He's also the president of the galaxy - or at least, he was until he stole the starship Heart of Gold, and went on a jaunt to find the fabled planet of Magrathea.

He's not quite sure why. There might have been fabulous wealth involved, but he might have been searching for the real ruler of the universe.

When faced with the horrifying prospect of being fed into the Total Perspective Vortex, he thought first of his stomach, and secondly of a trip to a discotheque.

Whatever he does, he does with style (and a smattering of bad language).