John Cleese clearly displayed his grudge against the BBC for not showing reruns of Monty Python. It writes Deadlines.
The 83-year-old actor and comedian asked his 5.6 million followers on Twitter the following:
– Can anyone (including BBC staff) tell me why the BBC hasn’t aired Monty Python in decades?
Marked 50th anniversary
Cleese’s question overlooked the BBC’s celebration of the iconic comedy, including airing the first episode, to mark the show’s 50th anniversary in 2019.
John Hoare, a television director, responded to Cleese, reminding him of an evening dedicated to Python on the BBC.
“I was sitting in the BBC Two press room on September 7 2019, preparing an episode of Monty Python for transmission as part of a night of Python related programming, and then going on the air, if it helps,” said Hoare.
TOTAL: Actors Eric Idle, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin and Terry Jones, together in 2020. Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS/NTB
No mention of rights agreement
Cleese’s tweet also makes no mention of the rights deal made to the Monty Python catalog.
Series and films, including Monty Python and The Holy Grail, all stream on Netflix in the UK.
A British TV channel also struck a deal earlier this year to rebroadcast all four seasons of the comedy, which stars Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam.
The rights to Monty Python are owned by Python (Monty) Pictures. Cleese, Palin, Idle and Gilliam are all CEOs of the company.
Hence, many took to Cleese’s Twitter message and pointed out that he should know full well that the BBC does not own the rights to the series.
– Because the BBC sold the rights to Netflix. I don’t work for the BBC, but this is easy enough to figure out, John, for example, wrote one user.
Fighting against cancel culture
Cleese’s tweet about Python was interpreted as a dog whistle about cancel culture, which he has vigorously fought in recent years. He will be making a documentary for Channel 4 on the subject.
Cleese has also announced plans to hold an event on GB News, a far-right British news channel, which will campaign for freedom of expression.
Responding to Cleese’s question about the BBC, actor Rob Schneider said:
– They haven’t finished editing the parts that don’t suit their ideology. Which is the whole series!
Complain before
This is not the first time Cleese has complained that the BBC is not showing Python. In 2020 he said:
– The BBC hasn’t broadcast Monty Python on linear TV in 20 years, and young people don’t know it. Now young people don’t know who I am and it seems weird because I think they’re going to like Python.
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