IT has long been known as the Holy Grail of comedy… and the Monty Python stars could barely contain their excitement on Wednesday as they announced their comeback.
Despite all being in their seventies with a combined age of 357 years, the legendary troupe are getting back on stage together for the first time in 30 years.
John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Eric Idle and Michael Palin have all agreed to reunite.
Once the secret was out there on Wednesday , Idle, 70, posted a giddy Twitter message: “Python meeting this morning. Can’t wait. Press conference Thursday will be live.”
Jones, 71, revealed that the ageing comedians hope to boost their bank balances: “We’re getting together and putting on a show – it’s real. I’m quite excited about it. I hope it makes us a lot of money. I hope to be able to pay off my mortgage!”
And he’s not the only one hoping the cash will help. Cleese, 74, has made no secret that despite the phenomenal success his comedic talent has brought him, he has been left crippled financially by a £12.5 million (R204m) divorce.
Earlier this year the stars were also ordered to pay extra royalties to a former producer after losing a high court battle over their hit stage show Spamalot.
A judge ruled that Mark Forstater, a producer of the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, was entitled to a seventh of the profits from the spin-off musical, which has grossed more than £100m.
The reunion comes after several failed attempts to reform by the group, which was last seen together in 1983’s The Meaning of Life. However, according to sources, the surviving members realised “it was now or never”.
It is understood the Pythons will perform live again, with the potential for a film or TV show to follow. But it is unknown if it will be new or old material or both.
More details are due to emerge at a press conference today, which will take place at The Playhouse Theatre in London’s West End where Spamalot is running.
Idle is believed to have had higher earning power in recent years and is worth about £10m after he co-wrote Spamalot with John Du Prez and paid the other Pythons a fee, estimated to be £1m.
Cleese, who married his fourth wife Jennifer Wade last year, divorced his third, Alyce Faye Eichelberger, in 2008.
He launched a stand-up tour called Alimony Tour to help fund the payments. – Daily Mail