Sir Michael Palin says decades of simmering tension over money and creative ownership have caused rifts between Monty Python’s surviving members as he breaks silence on behind the scenes feud

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Michael Palin has finally spoken out about the long-standing disagreement that has caused tension among the remaining members of Monty Python.

The 82-year-old comedian recently shared his most candid thoughts yet, explaining that the group’s relaxed and informal way of writing comedy sketches in the 1970s is now causing problems. This earlier approach is leading to disagreements about who originally came up with certain ideas and who should benefit financially from them today.

I don’t recall the exact details,” he said on The Louis Theroux Podcast. “But when something really takes off – like Python did – questions about who had the original ideas or who came up with the name become important to the people involved.

It wasn’t a major problem, but it felt unfair when others claimed credit for an idea we’d already developed. Specifically, if someone said, ‘We came up with this idea and wrote a sketch based on it,’ when we knew we were the ones who originally had it.

These comments follow years of disagreements among the members of Monty Python, which recently flared up again last year. Eric Idle, John Cleese, and Terry Gilliam had a public dispute over finances and how the group was being run.

82-year-old Eric caused a stir when he shared that he still needs to work, even with his worldwide recognition. He explained this was due to significant financial problems and poor handling of the band’s money.

Okay, so this is just… infuriating! He went after Holly Terry, you know, Terry Jones’ daughter who’s been brilliantly handling Monty Python’s business since 2014? He actually posted this crazy thing online saying if you hire someone related to Terry Gilliam to manage things, you shouldn’t be shocked if it all goes wrong! Like, ‘One Gilliam is enough, two will destroy the company!’ Can you believe the nerve? It’s just a totally unfair attack, clearly aimed at her and her perfectly capable management! It’s obsessed, honestly.

His daughter, Lily Idle, immediately came to his defense, praising him for ‘at last telling the truth’.

Honestly, this recent disagreement really brought some old issues to the surface – things about how money was handled, who got credit for what, and ultimately, who was really calling the shots. It’s sad to see, because for years, this group was known for being incredibly close and working seamlessly together. It’s clear there are some deep cracks now, and it’s a reminder that even the strongest teams can struggle with these kinds of problems.

I’ve always seen Sir Michael as the calm center of Monty Python, the one who kept things steady. It’s fascinating to finally hear him talk openly about how all that incredible, unpredictable creativity actually *started*. It’s a real insight into the group’s origins.

He explained that many of the sketches in their films and TV shows remained unchanged and were still funny, and these sketches were often written by different combinations of the team – Graham Chapman and John Cleese, or by myself and Terry Jones, or even by Eric.

However, things weren’t always straightforward. Ideas would be presented, and often needed refinement. For example, the ‘Ministry of Silly Walks’ sketch went through roughly three or four revisions by different members of the team.

People would often suggest stopping work on something and letting someone else take over. When that happened, projects naturally became collaborative efforts. However, these arrangements were always informal – there were no written agreements or contracts.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve always loved Python – it’s all about freedom! The whole idea behind it is to remove barriers and just let your creativity flow. It’s about writing code that’s fun, playful, and lets you express yourself without getting bogged down in technicalities. Seriously, just dive in and create something amazing!

He explained that it sparked ideas, and people would sometimes say they were inspired by his ‘Silly Walks’ or similar bits. He jokingly added that he took responsibility for most of those inspirations.

When asked if the disagreements were still costing money, Michael acknowledged there were issues determining ownership.

It’s not just about the money,” he explained. “I’m hesitant to go into detail because the ownership of everything is complicated. It was all split up, and everyone received a share.

Eric somehow got a great deal for the song ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,’ and didn’t have to split the profits as much as the rest of us. He wrote a really good song – it’s fantastic, actually. Who would have guessed it would become so popular at funerals?

Eric, now based in Los Angeles, has consistently said he wasn’t paid or recognized enough for his work. However, John and Terry disagree and consider his complaints unfounded.

Eighty-five-year-old John recently claimed Eric falsely accused him of replacing their longtime manager, Jim Beach, with Holly Gilliam. John stated that Jim actually resigned due to a stroke and that everyone agreed to the new management arrangement.

The disagreement has now entered legal territory. Python (Monty) Pictures Ltd, the company managing the rights and licensing for the group, received a notice of potential dissolution from Companies House earlier this year, sparking concerns it could be shut down.

Eric immediately called the decision ‘the death of Python’ online, referencing the famous Dead Parrot sketch. Fortunately, the change was reversed and the company is still operating.

In 2013, Mark Forstater, the producer of Holy Grail, won a lawsuit against the Monty Python group. He argued he was entitled to one-seventh of the profits earned from their successful musical, Spamalot, and the court agreed.

Sir Michael testified, clearly stating that Forstater wasn’t involved in creating the films – just highlighting the ongoing financial disputes over who owns what within the group.

The actor and comedian, well-known for his travel documentaries with the BBC and Channel 5 since his time with Monty Python, has hinted at disagreements within the group before. He specifically mentioned that by the time they made their last film, *The Meaning of Life*, it had become impossible for them to all agree on anything.

However, his recent statements are the most direct confirmation so far that their artistic independence came with an unspoken cost.

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2025-10-14 12:19