British Comedy Guide
Imagine... Monty Python: And Now For Something Rather Similar. Image shows from L to R: John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam. Copyright: BBC
Imagine... Monty Python: And Now For Something Rather Similar

Imagine... Monty Python: And Now For Something Rather Similar

  • TV documentary
  • BBC One
  • 2014
  • 1 episode

Alan Yentob meets with the surviving Pythons as they prepare for their reunion show at the O2 arena. Features Alan Yentob, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and more.

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Key details

Genre
Documentary
Broadcast
2014
Channel
BBC One
Episodes
1
Features
Alan Yentob, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, John Du Prez, Arlene Phillips and more
Directors
Jack Cocker
Producers
Alan Yentob and Jack Cocker
Company

In this special film, Imagine... follows the surviving Pythons as they prepare for the reunion John Cleese dismissed as "absolutely impossible" and which Eric Idle joked would only happen "if Graham Chapman came back from the dead".

Instead, when tickets for a one-off show in London went on sale last November, they sold out in a staggering 43 seconds. Nine extra dates were added, all of which sold out, and then came offers from Australia and America. But the five remaining members (collective age 357) instead decided to bring down the curtain on Monty Python for good when this run of shows comes to a close.

In the 40 years since Flying Circus, each member has gone on to forge a successful solo career. John Cleese co-created Fawlty Towers, wrote A Fish Called Wanda and has just completed a live tour, Alimony, to pay for his latest divorce. Michael Palin has made hit travel shows, won a BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award, written numerous books and is set to publish his third volume of diaries. Terry Gilliam became a successful film director and is now setting his sights on opera as he prepares for a show at English National Opera. Terry Jones has written books, hosted television documentaries and is in the midst of directing his first feature film in 18 years - a comedy starring Simon Pegg and Kate Beckinsale. And finally, Eric Idle, the brains behind the reunion who wrote the global smash Spamalot, who has been pulling the strings from his home in Los Angeles to bring the London reunion show into existence.

Alan Yentob meets up with the Pythons as they pursue their individual projects, with exclusive access to the reunion rehearsal process.

Additional details

Part of

Monty Python

Production
Studio
Picture
Colour

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Sunday 29th June 2014 at 10:25pm on BBC One
Episode length
75 minutes
All previous repeats
  • Wednesday 22nd January 2020 at 11:15pm on BBC2

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