Eric Idle has proved his long-running feud with John Cleese is still raging, as he labelled his Monty Python co-star ‘a grumpy old man’ in a new interview.
The comedian isn’t on speaking terms with his Python co-stars amid a bitter falling out over the management of the group’s finances.
Cleese 86, spoke out against ‘bullying’ Idle, 83, last September, after the latter had publicly criticised Python’s manager Holly Gilliam, daughter of Terry, for alleged mismanagement, claiming that Holly is the reason he has to continue to work into his eighties.
In a new interview, Eric has insisted he won’t be joining Cleese, Gilliam and Michael Palin in a planned tour later this year.
‘Look, I haven’t seen any of them for ten years and we are at an inflection point business-wise,’ he said. ‘There’ll be a meeting soon so I won’t comment. I don’t want to be the one carping in the corner.
‘I love working but it’s f***ing tiring at my age,’ he added.
Eric Idle has proved his long-running feud with John Cleese is still raging, as he labelled his Monty Python co-star ‘a grumpy old man’ in a new interview (Idle pictured in April 2026)
During the interview with The Sunday Times, Idle took particular aim at Cleese, criticising his politics and his recent backing of the Restore leader, Rupert Lowe.
‘Age is a difficult thing,’ Idle said. ‘I say you either become old and better, or old and bitter. You know, we worked together for years and John was funny. He’s probably still funny. You don’t lose funny, or do you?’
Referring to Cleese’s famous Basil Fawlty character, Idle added that ‘a young man parroting an old man being grumpy is funny. But just turning into a grumpy old man, that’s less funny, isn’t it?’
Idle, who is currently promoting his memoir, also took aim at the business affairs of the Python cast, insisting it ‘is still a mess.’
He added that YouTube airing Python sketches for free is ‘just stealing,’ and ‘that’s how these tech guys become billionaires while I’m still f***ing working at 83. What about my family?’
Idle publicly criticised the Pythons’ manager Holly, who took over the Python brand in 2013 as part of HDG Projects Ltd, in a 2024 social media rant.
He said on Twitter: ‘I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded.
‘I have to work for my living. I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously. I have been working and earning for Pythons since 1995. And now no more.’
In a new interview, Eric has insisted he won’t be joining his co-stars in a planned tour later this year and called Cleese ‘a grumpy old man’ (Cleese pictured in June 2026)
In a dig at Holly, he continued: ‘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.’
Cleese has defended Holly over the years, previously saying: ‘I want to make it clear that Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and I are totally satisfied with Holly’s work.’
‘He has bullied her for several years, and we all think it’s shameful.’
Last year, Idle, who famously wrote stage show Spamalot, blasted his former co-stars for being so ‘ungrateful’ over the millions they made in royalty payments.
He told The Guardian newspaper: ‘They got more f***ing money than they’ve ever been grateful for. They got f****** millions and they’re miserable and horrible and b****y about it.’
Adding to his frustration, Idle continued: ‘I spent 20 years working for Python and then two years on the O2 show. They were there for two weeks.
‘I’m not really motivated by money, to be honest. Anyway, the producers get all the f***ing money and divide it up according to the contract.’
‘Someone sued us for years, saying I was paying the Pythons money from my back pocket. And I said: why would I risk going to an American jail to give John Cleese more money?’
‘Look, I haven’t seen any of them for ten years and we are at an inflection point business-wise,’ Idle said. ‘I love working but it’s f***ing tiring at my age’ (Idle, Michael Palin, Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones in Monty Python’s Life Of Brian – 1979)
Idle also added that the group would often ‘fight and argue’ but he thinks it was good for their work.
‘Some things in Python were very enjoyable and some were not,’ he shared.
‘Holy Grail was cold and miserable. Sometimes that makes it funny. One of the worst things you can have in comedy is enough money.’
‘Python was quite a lot of arguing and fights and good work is often like that. The best thing about showbiz is when it’s over. I think if you’re enjoying yourself, then you’re not acting or giving, you’re just having a good time. Well, that’s not funny.’
In June Cleese announced surprise plans for another revival – barring Idle.
Their 2014 shows, which included the late Terry Jones, were widely deemed to be the troupe’s last hurrah.
But Cleese has now revealed that he’s set to reunite with his two co-stars in late 2026, telling Daily Mail’s Richard Eden: ‘Sir Mickey Palin, Terry Gilliam and I are discussing doing some entertainment towards the end of this year, if only to prove that we are all alive – if we still are.’
