Monty Python to reunite

[Lineker]

Monty Python is to reunite after 30 years, a newspaper report has claimed.

The five surviving members of the legendary comedy group - John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Eric Idle and Michael Palin - have agreed to a reunion after months of secret talks, The Sun claims.

Released in 1983, Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life was the final occasion all six original stars worked together full-time before Graham Chapman died from cancer in October 1989.

The report speculates that a press conference, attended by the Pythons, may occur this week.

It remains unclear what kind of project the surreal comic masters could announce as the reason for reforming.

Rumours of a reunion have resurfaced several times over the years, with plans for a US tour in 1999 and a sequel to movie hit Monty Python And The Holy Grail mooted.

But the big comeback has never quite happened - with some members of the troupe waving off any interest in bringing the act back.

Eric Idle once joked: "We would only do a reunion if Chapman came back from the dead.

"So we're negotiating with his agent."

Landmark BBC TV series Monty Python’s Flying Circus first aired in 1969.

Forty-five episodes of the sketch comedy were created over four series until 1974 - going on to influence comedians, writers, filmmakers, artists, animators worldwide and across the years.

On the big screen, 1979 satire Life of Brian saw the Pythons accused of blasphemy and proved so controversial it was banned from cinemas in nearly 40 local authorities.

Immediately gaining the status of a cult classic, it is now regarded as one of the finest comedy films of all time.

Other notable flicks include And Now For Something Completely Different (1971), Holy Grail (1975) and The Meaning of Life (1983).

[Hornswoggle4PM]

I don't think we should be expecting anything much to happen out of this, but it's one of the few reunions that I would really love to see. They'd probably still be great after all these years.

[Lineker]

Terry Jones has confirmed it:

All of the surviving members of comedy group Monty Python are to reform for a stage show, one of the Pythons, Terry Jones, has confirmed.

"We're getting together and putting on a show - it's real," Jones told the BBC.

"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!"

The reunion is expected to be announced officially at a press conference being held in London on Thursday.

John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin and Jones are all due to appear at the event, which was first revealed in the Sun.

Eric Idle also tweeted on Monday: "Only three days to go till the Python press conference. Make sure Python fans are alerted to the big forthcoming news event."

He added: "Python meeting this morning. Can't wait. Press Conference Thursday will apparently be live on Sky News. I'll get you the online URL."

The last time the five remaining members of the iconic comedy group appeared together was in 1998 at the Aspen Comedy Festival.

The sixth member of the comedy troupe, Graham Chapman, died in 1989.

The press conference will take place at the theatre where Monty Python's Spamalot is running - The Playhouse Theatre in London's West End.

Earlier this year, a film producer won a High Court case against the surviving members of Monty Python over royalty rights to the hit stage show.

Mark Forstater, who produced the 1975 film Monty Python and The Holy Grail, claimed he was underpaid royalties since the musical's launch in 2005.

He estimated he was entitled to more than £200,000.

The six members of the team got to know each other firstly through university, and later through their work on television comedy programmes, including The Frost Report.

The Pythons' hugely successful, zany BBC TV series, Monty Python's Flying Circus, effectively threw away the rulebook of traditional sketch writing, dispensing with punchlines and allowing sketches to blend into each other or simply stop abruptly.

The first episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus was broadcast on October 5, 1969.

It ran on TV for four series and spawned spin-off records, books and even German-language specials.

Gilliam's unique animation style became a key element of the show, segueing seamlessly between any two completely unrelated ideas.

The comedy group made their successful film Monty Python and the Holy Grail on a small budget in between filming the third and fourth series of of the TV show.

Their next film was the highly controversial Monty Python's Life Of Brian, released in 1979.

Telling the story of a man mistaken for Jesus, the film was attacked by Christian groups and banned in some areas.

Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life was released in 1983 and was another financial and critical success, winning the jury prize at the Cannes film festival.

The Pythons also went on to forge successful solo careers while continuing to collaborate with each other.

Cleese famously co-wrote the hugely successful BBC TV comedy series Fawlty Towers, which first ran in 1975, with Connie Booth, who had appeared in Monty Python's Flying Circus. He also wrote the hit comedy film A Fish Called Wanda in 1988, in which he starred with Palin.

Gilliam pursued a film career, and his credits include 1981's Time Bandits, which he co-wrote with Palin, who starred in it alongside Cleese. Gilliam's futuristic 1981 fantasy film Brazil also featured Palin, while 1988's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, about the supposed travels of the baron, featured Idle.

Palin and Jones went on to write together, and Palin starred in their comic TV series Ripping Yarns, a collection of tales that make "ripping good" television.

Four Python members also appeared in Jones's 1996 adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's novel The Wind in the Willows.

Cleese has also had a hugely successful acting career including starring roles in Clockwise, two James Bond films and two Harry Potter films.

Palin has also forged a successful film career, starring in movies including The Missionary and A Private Function and has of course made a huge name for himself with his award-winning travel documentaries.

Idle went on to create spoof Beatles band The Rutles and wrote the hit Spamalot musical.

He also performed Always Look on the Bright Side of Life at the 2012 Olympics closing ceremony in London.

Jones wrote the screenplay for the movie Labyrinth and he has also written and presented historical documentaries for TV.

Chapman did a lecture tour in the US and took on various film projects including The Odd Job and Yellowbeard before his death from cancer 24 years ago.

[Colly]

While what?

[METALMAN]

I suppose John Cleese needs to pay for his divorces.

[GoGo Yubari]

Gilliam could use a cash infusion for his fifteenth attempt at doing a Don Quixote movie as well.

[Lineker]

Press conference is about to get underway; a stage show is expected to be announced.

[Lineker]

The surviving members of comedy group Monty Python have announced their reunion will be a live, one-off show in London next July.

At a press conference, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones said they wanted to see if they "were still funny".

Idle - who will direct - said the audience should expect "comedy, pathos, music and a tiny piece of ancient sex".

The stage show will be their first new project for three decades.

It is more than 30 years since the Pythons performed last performed together at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles in September 1980, and 40 years since they last performed on stage together in the UK.

In a press release issued ahead of the conference, the comedy troupe promised to perform "some of Monty Python's greatest hits, with modern, topical, Pythonesque twists".

Warwick Davis, who is recently starred the Monty Python-inspired musical Spamalot, introduced the "five legends", claiming they had decided the venue after a series of bids.

In a series of sketches, he claimed the winner was first, Qatar, then Meryl Streep.

Finally, he announced it would take place in London at the O2 Arena on the 1st July, with tickets going on sale on 25 November.

The top price for tickets will be £95 and the lowest will be £26.

Cleese reiterated in the press conference that there would be "some new material".

"People do really want to see the old hits but we don't want to do them in a predictable way," he said.

"The main danger we have is that the audience know the scripts better than we do."

Idle said they would include some material that had never previously been performed live.

He said it would be "a big show" likening it to "a huge musical", with input from choreographer Arlene Phillips.

Palin added that the five of them just "enjoyed getting together to be very silly", adding that it was easier to do "now they are in their 70s".

"Silliness is always funny," added Jones.

News of the reunion leaked in the press earlier this week, with Jones telling the BBC he was "quite excited".

"I hope it makes us a lot of money," he said on Tuesday. "I hope to be able to pay off my mortgage!"

The last time the five remaining members of the comedy group appeared together in public was in 2009 at their 40th anniversary celebrations in New York.

The sixth member of the comedy troupe, Graham Chapman, died in 1989.

The press conference took place at the home of the Monty Python-inspired musical Spamalot - London's Playhouse Theatre.

Earlier this year, a film producer won a High Court case against the surviving members of Monty Python over royalty rights to the hit stage show.

Mark Forstater, who produced the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, claimed he was underpaid royalties since the musical's launch in 2005. He estimated he was entitled to more than £200,000.

The six members of the Python team got to know each other firstly through university, and later through their work on television comedy programmes, including The Frost Report.

Monty Python's Flying Circus was made for TV between 1969 and 1974 and featured sketches and songs that fans can recite by heart.

The team went on to make films including Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) and Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979).

The well-known Life of Brian song, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, was performed by Eric Idle at the 2012 Olympics closing ceremony.

[GA!]

I might try get tickets, only because it'll be fucking impossible.

[EddieG]

So apparently tickets got sold out in 44 seconds, and they've added 4 more shows.

[Lineker]

43.5 seconds, actually

I didn't get, will try again!

[METALMAN]

Why do you want them? It's going to be really, really bad. :/

[Lineker]

Because I do, Andy :/

[GoGo Yubari]

So apparently tickets got sold out in 44 seconds, and they've added 4 more shows.

Almost like that was the plan all along.

[Lineker]

Why do you want them? It's going to be really, really bad. :/

Up yours Andy - it was fucking great!

[METALMAN]

That's good. I'm glad!

[Johnny Latino Heat]

For the first time ever (to my knowledge), there will be a simulcast in cinemas all over the country for the Sunday's show. I found this out by pure chance, as I was trying to see the schedules for a movie, and it was in the "news" section. Got my ticket already

[Lineker]

It's also airing on GOLD.

[Lineker]

It's also airing on GOLD.

Live! Now!

[METALMAN]

My parents recorded it because they have Sky+. I'll watch it next time I'm there.

I thought it was important that you knew this.