Hawking in Monty Python shows

Scientist Stephen Hawking is teaming up with Monty Python for their reunion shows.

The cult comedy troupe – John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones – are kicking off their reunion gigs tomorrow (July 1).

Hawking will appear in the show, at London’s O2, with Professor Brian Cox.

Speaking at a press conference in central London, Idle said: “He ‘s a big Python fan so he was asked if he would.”

Monty Python’s Flying Circus was made for TV between 1969 and 1974 and generations of fans can recite lines and whole sketches.

Sixth Python Graham Chapman died of cancer in 1989 aged just 48, and nine years later the five remaining members shared a stage at the Aspen Comedy Festival in the US.

Cleese said the show, which includes a large cast of dancers and performers, set changes and special effects, costs around £4.5 million to stage.

Idle, who has done much of the planning for the shows, said the idea was “to leave them wanting less”.

The press conference, at London’s Palladium Theatre, began with a promotional clip for the concerts featuring Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts discussing the concerts, w ith Jagger asking why the audience wan ted to watch a “bunch of wrinkly old men trying to relive their youth”.

But Idle said fans wanted to see the classic sketches which made their name, saying: “It would be odd to try and write better things than our best at this age”.

Hawking in Monty Python shows