Eric Idle has declared that Monty Python is “dead” as he appears to rule out any chance of the comedy group reuniting.
The 83-year-old comedian made the comments while promoting his new book, Idle In Provence: A Brief History of Thyme, which has been released in the UK.
Taking to X, Idle shared an update about the book before giving his blunt verdict on the future 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 wrote.
He then signed off with two simple words: “Python is dead.”
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
Idle has also been responding to fans asking about the possibility of one final Monty Python reunion with his former co-stars.
When one fan called for “one last hurrah” with John Cleese, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam, Idle simply replied: “No thanks.”
The comedian also acknowledged that there is an ongoing rift between him and his former Monty Python co-stars.
When asked about the reason for the disagreement, Idle wrote: “When you hear what caused it, you might be more sympathetic.”
Another fan suggested that Idle and Cleese should put their political differences aside.
Idle replied: “Unfortunately it’s much worse than that, but I’m not going to say as it’s very boring.”
He was also asked whether he would consider making a new Monty Python show with Palin and Gilliam, without Cleese.
His answer was simply: “No.”
@cinemithos The “Well, I didn’t vote for you” scene occurs early in Monty Python and the Holy Grail when King Arthur and his knights ride past a muddy field and run into a group of peasants arguing about what kind of government they have. The scene is a fast, deadpan satire of political legitimacy, monarchy, and democracy, set in a medieval world but spoken in modern political language. The scene escalates into absurdity when Dennis is physically repressed (Arthur shouts “Shut up!” and Dennis screams “I’m being repressed!”), and Arthur finally calls him a “bloody peasant” out of frustration. The humor is in the peasants’ intellectual confidence, the King’s inability to defend his authority logically, and the sheer randomness o medieval people speaking like political theorists. The moment is famous for becoming a meme and a shorthand for people who reject authority because they didn’t vote for it, even though the show is actually mocking that logic by showing how absurd it is to apply modern democratic ideas to a medieval monarchy. It’s one of the most quoted and analyzed bits in the film, and it perfectly captures Monty Python’s style of mixing historical parody, political satire, and pure absurdity. #cinemithos #montypython #montypythonandtheholygrail #politicalsatire #absurdism ♬ original sound - cinemithos
Monty Python, formed in 1969, became one of the most influential comedy groups of all time through their television series Monty Python’s Flying Circus, as well as a number of films including Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Life of Brian.
The group has reunited on several occasions over the years, most recently for a series of live shows in London in 2014.
However, Idle’s latest comments suggest fans should not expect another Monty Python reunion anytime soon.
