Eric Idle explains real reason for public feud with Monty Python co-star John Cleese

Eric Idle has explained why he’s feuding with Monty Python co-star John Cleese.

Over the past few years, Idle and Cleese have engaged in a public feud, with the former declaring their friendship “over” in February due to a change in Monty Python’s management.

At the height of the pair’s spat, Cleese said he and Idle have “always loathed and despised each other”.

According to Idle, Cleese fired the comedy troupe’s former manager, his old friend Jim Beach, and hired Terry Gilliam’s daughter Holly instead. Idle has since claimed that Holly is the reason he has to continue to work and make money at the age of 80.

However, Cleese responded to this claim in September, calling the narrative “an invention”.

Speaking on podcast Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, Idle said of Cleese: “We don’t disagree about comedy – this is only about money. This is only about business. I mean, a fool and his money are easily parted – six of us, much more quickly.

“There’s no right or wrong way to deal with business, and if somebody has one view of it, and somebody doesn’t, and somebody has another, those can lead to very bad arguments.”

Idle attributed their hostilities to the fact they rarely see each other, stating: “Unfortunately, we don’t see each other enough. I haven’t seen him in 10 years … if you don’t sit across the table and know that person and what decade they’re in, I think that there’s a lot of room for disagreement.”

Fawlty Towers star Cleese has endorsed Holly’s management, calling her “very efficient, clear-minded, hard-working, and pleasant to have dealings with”.

He said in a statement: “Michael Palin has asked me to make it clear that he shares this opinion. Terry Gilliam is also in agreement with this.”

When asked about his views on Idle, Cleese wrote on X/Twitter: “We always loathed and despised each other, but it’s only recently that the truth has begun to emerge.” He later clarified in a follow-up post he meant this as a joke.

In May, Monty Python stars Cleese, Palin and Gilliam reunited to celebrate Palin’s 81st birthday, all without Idle there.

Cleese shared a dinner table picture on X/Twitter of himself smiling alongside the pair, with Palin holding up a plate of dessert that had “Happy Birthday” written in chocolate sauce.

Cleese jokingly captioned the photo: “An 18 foot Python celebrates Pallin’s 181st Birthday and 195th Travel Book. Photo taken at cafe on peak of Mount Kilimanjaro.”