The remaining members of Monty Python have confirmed they will perform together at London’s O2 Arena more than 30 years after their last stage performance.
The veteran comedy troupe John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones announced the news at a madcap launch.
They promised the return of some of their most famous routines, including a likely performance of the dead parrot sketch, but Cleese has ruled out a re-run of one of his best loved moments, the Ministry of Silly Walks.
“I have an artificial knee and an artificial hip so there’s no chance of that,” he said.
Idle said: “I think you can expect a little comedy, a lot of pathos, some music and a tiny bit of ancient sex.”
The show on July 1 is described as having “modern, typical, Pythonesque twists”. Their last major live show was at the Hollywood Bowl in 1982.
“We’ll be doing material we’ve never done live. There’ll be quite a lot of that,” said Idle, before pointing out that most people find new songs to be the low point of most concerts.
“We’re hoping people will have forgotten so they’ll appear new.”
The Pythons have amassed millions of fans for their groundbreaking, anarchic comedy series and films, which also launched their own successful solo careers.
Sixth Python Graham Chapman died of cancer in 1989 aged just 48.