Monty Python star Michael Palin has opened up about the emotions that come up whenever the comedy troupe reunite.
The comedians often end up being “rather tearful” when they gather following the fame they found after forming in 1969.
The comedians are best known for their sketch series and film projects and remain beloved to this day.
Travel presenter Palin, 80, last performed alongside his Monty Python co-stars in 2014 in Monty Python Live (Mostly).
Speaking on BBC Radio 4, he explained how the four surviving members which include himself, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam and Eric Idle, all remain close friends.
“We share so much including income, which has to be sort of worked out, and Python is still selling round the world and not in the way it used to,” he explained.
Palin described Monty Python’s reunions as ‘tearful’
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“It’s still achieved a success none of us would ever dreamed of (when) writing this very silly, anarchic stuff so yes, we see each other not as often.”
He went on to say he sees Gilliam “often” because they live near each other in London, but sees less of the other Python stars as they’re living further away.
“We’re close when we get together and we talk, there is that thing, you know, it’s like a long affair that took place many years ago and you get together and you’re rather tearful,” he admitted.
Delving further into his relationship with his co-stars, Palin confessed he “did not always agree” with his fellow troupe members as they brainstormed ideas.
Palin is one of the four surviving members of Monty Python
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“There were problems sometimes,” he remarked, referring to disagreements on whether to do the restaurant sketch from Monty Python’s The Meaning Of Life.
He added: “There are other things we wrote sometimes that John and Graham and Eric didn’t like and vice versa and we set our standards really high.”
While the four men remain in the public eye and largely adored for their influence on comedy, other members Graham Chapman and Terry Jones have since died.
Cleese was recently in headlines over an apparent rift with Idle. The 84-year-old seemed to hit back at Idle after he criticised their much-loved comedy show and its creators, explaining he has to “work for a living” at his age.
The actor and comedian shared: “I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded. Python is a disaster. Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age,” he went on before blasting manager Holly Gilliam.
In retaliation, Cleese, 84, penned on his X account: “I have worked with Holly for the last ten years. “I find her very efficient, clear-minded, hard-working, and plea ant to have dealings with.
Python reflected on his relationship with his co-stars
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“Michael Palin has asked me to make it clear that he shares this opinion. Terry Gilliam is also in agreement with this.”
Idle also posted that he hadn’t seen Cleese in “seven years” and was “happy” about it, seemingly confirming a rift between the former co-stars.
As surprised fans questioned Cleese further about his relationship with Idle, he replied to one writing: “We have always loathed and despised each other, but it’s only recently that the truth has begun to emerge.”
However, he has since argued his remarks weren’t serious, labelling publications that reported on the “feud” as having “got it totally wrong”.
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