Eric Idle has declared that Monty Python is “dead” while addressing the ongoing feud with his former castmates.
The actor, comedian and writer formed the iconic comedy troupe in 1969 alongside Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Michael Palin.
They are known for their TV sketch series Monty Python’s Flying Circus, classic films such as …Life Of Brian and …The Holy Grail, and numerous musical projects. They last performed together in 2014 for the stage show Monty Python Live (Mostly) at London’s O2.
The dates marked the Pythons’ first live outing in 34 years, the second without Chapman (who died in 1989), and the last with Jones (who passed away in 2020).
Yesterday (Thursday September 10), Idle took to X/Twitter to promote his new book, Idle In Provence: A Brief History of Thyme, while sharing an update on the status of Monty Python.
“Today is my publication day in the UK. I hope you like and enjoy the book I spent five years on. That’s what I’m doing,” he said. He then signed off with: “Python is dead.”
Earlier, Idle had responded to a fan who called for him to have “one last hurrah” with Cleese, Palin and Gilliam. He bluntly replied: “No thanks.”
Today is my publication day in the UK. I hope you like and enjoy the book I spent five years on. That’s what I’m doing. Python is dead.
— Eric Idle (@EricIdle) September 10, 2026
No thanks. https://t.co/r7ovpxVbDu
— Eric Idle (@EricIdle) September 10, 2026
Idle also acknowledged the ongoing rift with his former Monty Python co-stars, writing: “When you hear what caused it, you might be more sympathetic.”
Someone else said they wished Idle and Cleese “could see past their political differences”, to which Idle answered: “Unfortunately it’s much worse than that, but I’m not going to say as it’s very boring.”
Another fan asked whether Idle would ever make a new Python show with just Palin and Gilliam, without Cleese. However, he said: “No.”
Unfortunately it’s much worse than that but I’m not going to say as it’s very boring. https://t.co/OBmUNpbAkw
— Eric Idle (@EricIdle) September 10, 2026
When you hear what caused it you might be more sympathetic https://t.co/31gHUSq49g
— Eric Idle (@EricIdle) September 10, 2026
— Eric Idle (@EricIdle) September 10, 2026
In 2024, Idle claimed that he was not “loaded” despite his past huge success with Monty Python, saying he still had to work into his 80s. “Python is a disaster,” he wrote at the time. “[Monty Python musical] Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age.”
Idle continued: “We own everything we ever made in Python and I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously.” He suggested that manager Holly Gilliam – the daughter of Terry – may be to blame for the decreasing finances.
Cleese responded, saying he and Idle had “always loathed and despised each other, but it’s only recently that the truth has begun to emerge”. He hit back at the criticism of Holly, saying he’d “worked with [her] for the last 10 years” and called her “very efficient, clear-minded, hard-working, and pleasant to have dealings with”.
The comedian and actor added: “Michael Palin has asked me to make it clear that he shares this opinion. Terry Gilliam is also in agreement with this.”
Speaking to NME last summer, Idle was asked about the likelihood of the surviving Pythons coming together for another project. “I don’t think this lot will get together and be funny. I don’t think it’s possible,” he said.
“If I’m going to be funny, I want to be funny with new or different people or jam with other wonderful musicians.”
He told NME: “We did it in 2014 with Monty Python Live (Mostly), which I wrote and directed. It was 10 nights at the O2 and fabulous. It happened just in time because Terry was having difficulty remembering things and his mind was going. We’d say, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll get you through this’.”
When pressed on what his relationship was like with the other members now, Idle responded: “I would say from poor to terrible. They don’t talk to me. I haven’t seen them for 10 years so it doesn’t really matter. Apparently they say rude and nasty things but I don’t read them.
“I survived [pancreatic] cancer. Every day is a gift and I’m not going to waste my time bickering with people who have things to say that I don’t read. I’d say it’s a spat but I’m not doing any spitting. And if I have to turn any more cheeks, my pants will fall down! I move on. If you get old and bitter, that’s bad. You have to get older and better. Why waste your life grumbling and complaining? I try and rise below it.”
He told NME that Cleese “complains all the fucking time” and had “no idea what he’s doing”. Idle was referring to the comedian taking issue with actors in a stage adaptation of Life Of Brian. According to Cleese, the actors were “objecting to a scene from the film in which Eric Idle’s character says he’s going to become a woman”.
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