John Cleese, the acclaimed Fawlty Towers actor, created a stir during a recent appearance on BBC's The One Show when he appeared not to recognize hosts Roman Kemp and Lauren Laverne. The moment, which occurred on Tuesday evening, saw the 86-year-old comedian engage in a seemingly perplexed exchange with the hosts, leading to a wave of reactions from viewers online.
During the segment, after Kemp and Laverne introduced the guests, Cleese turned to Kemp and asked, "I like this show, what's your name?" Upon hearing Kemp's name, Cleese remarked, "Well, I've only ever known one Roman – Roman Polanski." He then turned to Laverne, inquiring, "Who's your friend?" after she introduced herself. Laverne appeared momentarily speechless following the exchange.
viewers on X (formerly Twitter) were divided in their interpretation of Cleese's behavior. Some interpreted the interaction as genuinely awkward and embarrassing, with one user commenting, "Awkward chatter with John Cleese." Another wrote, "Whatever was this about has John Cleese lost the plot how embarrassing."
However, a significant number of viewers suggested that Cleese was employing his signature dry wit. "This is just what John is like in interviews. He never makes it easy for the interviewer and it's hilarious," one viewer posted, while another added, "I thought he was quite funny, which was obviously intended... He's playing with them, old school humour."
Cleese's television appearance comes as he has been discussing potential new projects involving his former Monty Python colleagues. He recently announced plans to reunite with Sir Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam for a new entertainment venture expected in late 2026. This would mark a reunion for three of the five surviving members of the iconic comedy troupe, which also included the late Terry Jones and Graham Chapman, and the estranged Eric Idle.
The 2014 reunion shows, held at London's O2 Arena, were widely considered the troupe's final performance. Cleese has stated that the new project is partly intended "to prove that we are all alive – if we still are." He also indicated that the shows might involve "insult[ing] each other, and to discuss at length each other's faults."
This potential reunion is shadowed by a public falling out between Cleese and Eric Idle over the management of the group's finances. Cleese publicly criticized Idle last September for his criticism of Python's manager, Holly Gilliam, daughter of Terry Jones.
Cleese's tour, titled "John Cleese and the Holy Grail," is scheduled to run from September 1 to September 22, encompassing 18 dates. The original Monty Python troupe rose to fame in the 1960s with the BBC sketch comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus and later released films such as "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (1975) and "Monty Python's The Meaning of Life" (1983).