By Ashleigh Rainbird
Eric Idle has described his Monty Python co-star John Cleese as a bully, and added the pair have not spoken for seven years.
Eric, 80, claims fellow Python member Terry Jones was picked on in particular. Eric said: “[John] bullied Jonesy. I always felt ashamed we did nothing.”
He added: “I still love and am proud of what we did as Python. It was a very unique group. I think of us as an ex-Liverpool team. We played together well, way back in the day. But it was never very supportive of people’s feelings and emotions. Not brothers. Colleagues.”
The comedian and actor added he still has to work for financial reasons. Eric, who said he sold his home last year, has also criticised TV lawyer Holly Gilliam, whose dad is Python star Terry Gilliam, 83.
Holly took over the Python brand in 2013 as part of HDG Projects Ltd. Eric has said: “I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded. “I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age.” He seemed surprised by the apparent downturn in fortunes after the comedy group’s huge success.
He said: “We own everything we ever made in Python and I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously.” In a dig at Holly, he added: “I guess if you put a Gilliam child in as your manager you should not be so surprised.
“One Gilliam is bad enough. Two can take out any company.” He has also said: “I don’t mind, but once they put Gilliam’s daughter in as manager and Cleese fires [Python’s one-time manager] Jim Beach, well, it’s over.”
Eric’s daughter, artist Lily Idle, backed him, saying: “I’m so proud of my dad for finally, finally starting to share the truth.” Eric thanked fans for their “kind words and encouragement”. The star, who created award-winning musical Spamalot, added: “It means a great deal to me.”
Eric, who has mostly been based in Los Angeles in recent decades, was asked if a Netflix documentary could help. He replied “f*** documentaries” and the streaming giant. He also said: “I’m fine. I’m writing. It’s the thing I do and like the most. Creating a new show. Something that feels so normal. Been doing it since 1963.”
The Pythons – including John, 84, Graham Chapman and Sir Michael Palin – formed in 1969. They had a ground-breaking TV sketch show. Their films include 1975 hit Monty Python and the Holy Grail (which Spamalot is based on), Life of Brian in 1979 and The Meaning of Life in 1983.
In 2013, a producer of Monty Python and the Holy Grail won a High Court royalty fight with the comedy team to get more of the Spamalot profits. Graham, who had inoperable cancer, died in 1989 aged 48. Terry Jones died of dementia in 2020 aged 77.
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