Monty Python's Flying Circus

Python at 50: Silly Talks and Holy Grails

Aired Sep 7, 2019 · 10:00 PM BST · 1h 00m

From ‘something completely different’ to icons of comedy and national treasures, this is a collection of rarely-seen Monty Python moments from the BBC archives, following the group’s encounters with ‘Auntie’ over the past 50 years. Highlights include Terry Gilliam showing how he created his unique Python animations, Graham Chapman discussing the pressures of life as a homosexual, alcoholic comic, John Cleese explaining why he had to quit the final TV series, and Michael Palin promoting The Life of Brian on a children’s programme. Capturing them at the height of their powers, it is a smorgasbord of insightful interviews, on-location encounters, chat-show conversations and behind-the-scenes silliness from the 70s, 80s and beyond, some of which has been buried in the vaults for decades.