Five surviving Python members to reveal the Holy Grail of comedy reunion plans at press conference on Thursday

The five surviving members of the Monty Python team are to reform for a stage show, bringing to an end years of will-they-won’t-they speculation about one of the most popular and influential comedy troupes of all time.

Terry Jones confirmed to the BBC that he, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin were “putting on a show”, following a report about the reunion in Tuesday’s Sun.

The surviving members of the seminal BBC comedy show – sixth Python Graham Chapman died of cancer in 1989 – will announce more details of their reunion plans at a press conference in London on Thursday, a spokesman for the group confirmed.

They have not performed Python sketches together on stage since appearing at a US comedy festival in 1998. The last time they were all on stage together is believed to be the opening of Spamalot, Idle’s musical loosely based on the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, in 2005.

“We’re getting together and putting on a show – it’s real,” Jones said. “I’m quite excited about it. I hope it makes us a lot of money. I hope to be able to pay off my mortgage!”

Idle tweeted: “Only three days to go till the Python Press Conference. Make sure Python fans are alerted to the big forthcoming news event.

He added: “Python meeting this morning. Can’t wait. Press Conference Thursday will apparently be live on Sky News. I’ll get you the online URL.”

A spokesman said: “A press conference is set for Thursday where the Pythons themselves will be unveiling their plans to work together again.”

Monty Python’s Flying Circus, famous for its Dead Parrot sketch, among others, was broadcast by the BBC between 1969 and 1974.

The Pythons went on to make films including Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) and Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979).

Their final film, Monty Python’s The Meaning Of Life, released in 1983, was the last time the six Pythons worked together on a full-time project.

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