John Cleese has publicly accused fellow Monty Python member Eric Idle of bullying over the management of the comedy troupe, deepening a long-running feud that members say has become increasingly acrimonious.
Cleese said he, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam are 'totally satisfied' with the work of Holly Gilliam, the daughter of Terry Gilliam, and that Idle has 'bullied her for several years.' Cleese added that his current communication with Idle is conducted 'through his lawyer' as Idle prepares to begin a British tour this week.
Eric Idle, 82, has repeatedly criticised the troupe's management and has suggested he walked away from the company over business disagreements, saying he wanted 'an older manager, someone who's wise – and not related to Terry Gilliam.' Idle has called Cleese 'bonkers' and framed the dispute as business rather than creative differences, saying, 'This is only about money. This is only about business.' Cleese, 85, responded that Idle's contention that he fired the troupe's former manager and hired Holly Gilliam was 'an invention.'
The public exchange reopened tensions that have simmered among the surviving Pythons for years. At the height of their spat last year, Cleese said he and Idle had 'always loathed and despised each other.' Idle has claimed that management decisions have forced him to continue working into his eighties for financial reasons, a point Cleese disputed.
The dispute places longstanding personal acrimony alongside questions about stewardship of the Python brand, which remains valuable through performances, merchandise and licensing. The parties involved have offered sharply different accounts of personnel decisions and the motives behind them, with Cleese, Palin and Gilliam publicly backing Holly Gilliam's role and management style.
In other entertainment news, Gordon Ramsay's daughter Holly is preparing for a December wedding to Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty. The 25-year-old posted a video showing her fitness routine and toned midriff while training, and she and Peaty reportedly attend reformer Pilates sessions together. Ramsay said the couple are 'looking at venues' for a Christmas wedding.
Model and actress Amy Jackson, who gave birth to a son in March, criticised the phrase 'bounce back' when discussing postpartum body expectations. Speaking at the launch of a parenting app's debut book, she said the term is toxic and that mothers should not be pressured to lose post-baby weight to meet societal standards.
Actor Benedict Cumberbatch, 49, discussed moments of losing his composure on set, describing occasional 'meltdowns' tied to feelings of insecurity. He said one incident during filming for Marvel's Doctor Strange left him insisting, 'I need the director here now,' and that a director's intervention helped him regain composure.
Amanda Barrie, the former Coronation Street actress who once confronted Gordon Ramsay on Hell's Kitchen, said she remains mentally sharp as she approaches her 90th birthday and described the concentration required to learn lines during a recent literary event.
Film director Chris Columbus reflected on the impact of Hugh Grant's 1995 arrest on the performance of the romantic comedy Nine Months, which Columbus directed. Columbus said the timing of the actor's scandal likely affected the film's box office despite the movie still 'doing OK.'
Separately, King Charles's private initiatives to offer health services on his estates are expanding. The King's Foundation already operates a range of wellbeing and health support services at Dumfries House in Ayrshire and is opening a branch at Highgrove in Gloucestershire, a move that includes advertised positions such as an 'early career researcher.'
Finally, actor Harry Hadden-Paton is moving into directing. The 44-year-old, best known for his role on Downton Abbey, will direct the short film Legacy, a dark comedy about class conflict that stars James Purefoy. The project is the first from Symphony Films, a production company Hadden-Paton formed with his wife, actress Rebecca Night.
The Monty Python dispute underscores how management and personal grievances within veteran ensembles can become public and legally mediated, even as members continue to steward a cultural legacy that dates back more than half a century. Other items in the entertainment world this week reflected a mix of career moves, personal milestones and reflections on public life and health initiatives.