British Comedy Guide
British Comedy Guide
Hold The Sunset. Phil (John Cleese). Copyright: BBC
John Cleese

John Cleese

  • 85 years old
  • English
  • Actor and writer

John Cleese features

Clockwise. Brian Stimpson (John Cleese) Features

Comedy Rewind: Keeping time with Clockwise

Sunday 15th September 2024

John Cleese plays the recognisably frenetic central role in this mid-80s cinematic farce from the writer of stage sensation Noises Off.

Image shows left to right: John Junkin, Barry Cryer Features

Comedy Chronicles: Taking on the tabula rasa: Inside the writing room

Sunday 19th May 2024

Writing comedy. Some like to do it standing up; some prefer sitting down; and others have ended up lying flat out on the floor. Graham McCann examines how some of Britain's finest comic minds got their words down on the page.

Educating Archie. Peter Brough. Copyright: BBC Radio

Steam radio: a Baby Boomer's personal memory of post-war wireless comedy

Thursday 7th March 2024

With ever-more BBC radio archival treats now available to buy and enjoy again, self-identified Baby Boomer Hercules Grytpype-Thynne shares his personal memories and pays tribute to some of the biggest shows of the post-war era in this ode to brilliant comedy on the wireless.

Monty Python's Life Of Brian. Michael Palin. Copyright: Python (Monty) Pictures Ltd Features

Monty Python at 50 at the BFI

Sunday 1st September 2019

A look at the BFI's September 2019 season celebrating Monty Python's Flying Circus, just ahead of its 50th anniversary.

Hold The Sunset. Image shows from L to R: Queenie Gale (Anne Reid), Wendy Stevens (Rosie Cavaliero), Phil (John Cleese), Roger (Jason Watkins), Edith (Alison Steadman). Copyright: BBC TV

Hold The Sunset interviews

Sunday 18th February 2018

The cast of new sitcom Hold The Sunset discuss their roles in the show.

Fawlty Towers. Basil Fawlty (John Cleese). Copyright: BBC TV

The making of Fawlty Towers

Sunday 18th September 2016

Fawlty Towers is 41 years-old. Here we look back at how a rude Torbay hotel owner inspired John Cleese and Connie Booth to create one of Britain's best loved sitcoms, and what Basil is up to nowadays.

John Cleese: So Anyway. John Cleese Shop

John Cleese book tour announced

Wednesday 10th September 2014

John Cleese is to tour the UK in a series of live shows connected to his autobiography.

John Cleese Shop

John Cleese signs autobiography deal

Monday 8th October 2012

Python and Fawlty Towers star John Cleese has become the latest in a long line of comic names to sign a deal to publish his autobiography.

Share this page

Subscribe to our newsletters