Monty Python star's candid financial admission
Monty Python star Eric Idle has made a candid admission about the state of his finances, revealing why he still has to work at the age of 80.
The comic legend admitted he receives only a fraction of the millions the Python team have made in the past because the finances are a “disaster”.
In messages on X, formerly Twitter, Idle wrote: “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.”
Idle also took aim at TV lawyer Holly Gilliam, the daughter of fellow Python member Terry Gilliam, who took over the Python brand in 2013 as part of HDG Projects Ltd.
He said, “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.”
Daughter Lily Idle backed him, writing online, “I’m so proud of my dad for finally finally finally starting to share the truth.”
The Pythons, who also included John Cleese, 84, Michael Palin, 80, and the late Terry Jones — made a fortune thanks to their iconic cult films, including Life of Brian, hit stage show Spamalot, which Idle co-wrote, and the original Flying Circus BBC TV series.
They were back in the limelight in 2014 with Monty Python Live (Mostly) — One Down, Five to Go: a reference to former member Graham Chapman who died in 1989 aged just 48.
It featured interpretations of some of their famous sketches, and reportedly earned the surviving members at least £2 million ($3.87m AUD) each.
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