THAT'S TV TO SHOW MONTY PYTHON AFTER NEARLY 35 YEARS OFF AIR
Now, Monty Python's Flying Circus, known for its subversive and innuendo-laden humour, is finally returning to UK terrestrial television.
LONDON, March 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- It is one of the most frequently quoted comedy series of all time, but it hasn't been seen on British TV for nearly 35 years. Now, Monty Python's Flying Circus, known for its subversive and innuendo-laden humour, is finally returning to UK terrestrial television.
Classic TV channel That's TV, which broadcasts on Freeview, Sky and Freesat, has acquired the exclusive network television rights to all four seasons of the comedy which was first shown on BBC1 more than five decades ago. The episodes will be aired uncut every weeknight at 9pm from this Monday (14thMarch 2022).
Coinciding with the arrival of colour television, Monty Python's Flying Circus made its debut on BBC1 in 1969. The show received three BAFTA awards and soon gained international acclaim, making global stars of the creators Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. The series has been described by The New Yorker as the "funniest series of programmes ever made specifically for television" and, in 2015, Rolling Stone Magazine named Monty Python's Flying Circus as the "Greatest Sketch-Comedy TV Show of All Time".
However, members of the Python's themselves have often complained about the failure to show reruns of the iconic show on UK television. The BBC last repeated the series nearly 35 years ago in 1988.
In 2018, Python star Michael Palin told Radio Times: "I am amazed it hasn't been repeated." John Cleese has suggested that the BBC was refusing to rerun the show because it was "too funny". Cleese told Radio 4's Today show in 2018: "It might not contrast well with some of the comedy they're doing now, that's the only explanation I've got."
In 2020 Cleese complained further saying: "The BBC has not put Monty Python out on terrestrial television now for 20 years and young people don't know about it… Now young people have no idea who I am, and it seems odd as I think they would enjoy Python."
In 2018 the BBC's comedy executive Shane Allen admitted that the programme would not be made today saying: "If we're going to assemble a team now it's not going to be six Oxbridge white blokes, it's going to be a diverse range of people who reflect the modern world."
The show was regarded as subversive and anti-establishment when first shown. Minutes of a BBC programme review board from 1970 reveal that the BBC's head of features had found parts "disgusting". The controller of BBC1 complained that the programme was in "appalling bad taste" while head of light entertainment, Bill Cotton, believed the Python's "seemed to have some sort of death wish."
Monty Python forms part of That's TV's new schedule of classic comedy in response to the soap-focused schedules launched this month by both BBC1 and ITV. The classic comedy line-up on That's TV this spring also includes:
- The Kumars at No.42 - the winner of an International Emmy in 2002 and 2003 and a Peabody Award in 2004, not repeated on UK television since 2005
- Whose Line Is It Anyway? - the improvised comedy show presented by Clive Anderson which ran on Channel 4 from 1998-1999
- Harry Enfield's Television Programme - starring Harry Enfield, Paul Whitehouse and Kathy Burke, not repeated on UK television since 2011
That's TV is amassing the rights to broadcast hundreds of episodes of classic TV shows. The free-to-air channel is already showing re-runs of Russ Abbot's Madhouse, The Benny Hill Show, Kenny Everett and Les Dawson's entertainment show Sez Les.
That's TV Head of Programming, Kris Vaiksalu said: "For over 50 years, Monty Python's Flying Circus has had audiences in stitches of laughter. The show is widely regarded as one of the greatest comedy series ever made in the world. It is truly timeless, and its influence continues to be seen today."
"The Pythons are part of our national heritage but for too long this iconic show has been left buried in the archives. We are proud to have acquired the exclusive free TV rights to every episode and will be showing them all in full and uncut on That's TV this spring."
That's TV launched nationally in summer 2021 and reaches around 4 million viewers per month. It broadcasts 24 hours per day on Freeview channel 91 / 264, Sky channel 187 and Freesat channel 178. That's TV's local services (including local news and information alongside classic TV) are also available in 20 locations on Freeview channel 7 / 8.
- Assets available to download here
- Interviews with That's TV Chief Executive, Daniel Cass, available on request
About Monty Python's Flying Circus:
Monty Python's Flying Circus (also known as simply Monty Python or Python) is a British surreal sketch comedy series conceived in an Indian restaurant by its creators Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam, a.k.a. the "Pythons". The first episode premiered on 5 October 1969 on BBC1, with 45 episodes airing over four series from 1969 to 1974.
Many of the world's best-known comedians have talked about how they were inspired by the series:
- The Simpsons creator Matt Groening has said he was influenced by Python's "high velocity sense of the absurd and not stopping to explain yourself."
- Austin Powers creator Mike Myers has said: "Everything I've ever done can be distilled to at least one Python sketch."
- Ace Ventura star Jim Carrey has described Python as "the Super Justice League of Comedy."
- Alan Partridge creator Steve Coogan has said that Python "paved the way for my generation of comedy writers and performers. We're standing on the shoulders of giants."
Monty Python's influence on modern society goes beyond the world of comedy. A famous sketch known as The Spam Sketch involved the processed food spam being served with every meal. The sketch led to the popular use of the phrase "spam" to described unwanted email.
ABOUT THAT'S TV:
That's TV brands itself as 'The Home of Classic TV'.
The network, registered in official BARB TV audience measurement as That's TV Network, consists of 20 local TV services and a UK national service operated by That's TV, part of the That's Media Group.
That's TV launched its first local TV service in 2014 and now holds the licences to operate 20 services on Freeview channel 7/8 making it the UK's largest local TV operator serving over five million homes. That's TV's local services deliver local news and information alongside a network schedule of classic music, entertainment and documentaries primarily from the 60s to today.
A national version of That's TV subsequently launched in July 2021 (rebranding to That's TV Christmas for the Christmas season) and is now available UK-wide on Freeview channel 91, Sky channel 187 and Freesat channel 178. The service enables a UK-wide audience to enjoy That's TV's classic TV schedule which includes The Benny Hill Show and Kenny Everett Video Show.
As part of its charter for social responsibility, That's TV is accredited by the Living Wage Foundation as a Real Living Wage Employer.
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SOURCE That’s TV
