Monty Python star Eric Idle has opened up about mortality, his battle with pancreatic cancer, his enduring connection with the French countryside and his life away from the spotlight. At 83, the comedian and writer says he has found a sense of peace in Provence, where he spends around half the year.“I’d like to be buried here,” Idle told Radio Times in a recent interview while looking across the picturesque corner of Provence he calls home. “But only after I’m dead.”Idle, best known as one of the members of the legendary comedy group Monty Python, has long been associated with irreverent humour and his mischievous on-screen persona. However, his reflections on death have become more personal after surviving pancreatic cancer, a disease he says could have killed him.
Eric Idle on surviving pancreatic cancer
Idle recalled the moment his doctor diagnosed him with pancreatic cancer. Rather than reacting with fear, he said he laughed because of an ironic coincidence.A year or two before his diagnosis, Idle had reportedly asked the same doctor which disease would be the quickest and most certain way to kill off a character in a musical he was writing. The answer was pancreatic cancer.The comedian has also developed an unusual connection with death through one of his most famous creations, “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”, the Monty Python song that has become a popular choice at funerals.“I think having the number-one funeral song is pretty damn good. I love that, and I reckon it’s really healthy,” he said.
Eric Idle recalls conversation with George Harrison about death
Idle also reflected on a conversation he had with Beatles legend George Harrison about death and what might come after it. The two discussed the idea of an afterlife while Harrison was on his deathbed in 2001.According to Idle, Harrison believed he would escape rebirth, while Idle told him, “I’d give anything to be reborn.”Asked what he would want to return as, Idle joked that he might choose to be an England Test cricketer – particularly from an era when players could still enjoy drinks in the evenings.Despite being responsible for some of Monty Python’s most enduring work, Idle remains modest about the group’s legacy. He questioned whether Python’s comedy would remain funny forever, while acknowledging that its influence has continued across generations.
Eric Idle’s life in Provence
Idle’s affection for Provence is at the heart of his new book, Idle in Provence: A Brief History of Thyme. The memoir looks back at the property he bought in 1971, when it was little more than a ruined farm building without water, electricity, roads or even floors.Over the years, Idle transformed the property from what he jokingly calls a “shack to shackeau”.The book goes beyond renovation stories, offering a candid look at different chapters of his personal life. It touches upon his experiences following his divorce and the difficult period when his daughter was sectioned while he was preparing to perform at London’s O2 during the 2014 Monty Python reunion.Idle says the original motivation behind buying the property was to escape the pressures and expectations surrounding his life in Britain, Monty Python and fame.“To escape! To escape the long shadow of boarding school, and how people are in England, and Python, and fame, which is a silly illusion that doesn’t help you much,” he explained.
Hollywood stars found anonymity at Eric Idle’s French home
The secluded nature of Idle’s home also attracted several of his famous friends over the years. According to the comedian, stars including Harrison Ford, Paul Simon, David Bowie, Carrie Fisher and Robin Williams enjoyed visiting the property, along with members of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and The Who.The appeal, he suggested, was the anonymity they could enjoy in the small French community of Cotignac, where their celebrity status mattered little.“No man is a legend to his trousers,” Idle quipped, deliberately altering a famous saying about a person not being a hero to their valet.
Eric Idle claims John Cleese and Michael Palin will not return
While his French home hosted several Monty Python members over the years, Idle made a pointed remark about two of his former collaborators.Asked about John Cleese and Michael Palin, Idle said there was “absolutely zero” chance of either returning to his property.“They hate my guts. Don’t ask me why. I only ever made them money,” he said.Idle also spoke candidly about his finances and the realities of continuing to work at 83. Despite his decades-long career, he said he still works to cover his healthcare costs in the United States, where he lives when he is not in Provence.He also criticised the way streaming platforms handle royalties, arguing that people often assume performers from successful shows are financially secure decades later.
Why Eric Idle wants to stay away from fame
For Idle, one of the biggest attractions of his life in Provence is the opportunity to exist without constantly being recognised as a celebrity.He described enjoying ordinary routines such as visiting the local bakery and supermarket and becoming part of the community.“I really don’t want to spend all day being mistaken for a comedian,” he said.Idle’s new book offers readers an intimate look at the place that has provided him with that escape for decades. Yet he remains unconcerned that revealing details about his French retreat could attract unwanted visitors.Asked whether writing about his home could make it easier for people to find, Idle responded with another characteristically dark joke: “Oh, it’s hard to find. And if necessary we’ll get shotguns.”
