Monty Python only became valuable when it was sold to Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in America. They didn't pay much either, but the series has been shown repeatedly, which led to lucrative tapes, CDs and DVDs.

I try to not to be a celebrity as much as possible.

I think the special thing about Python is that it's a writers' commune. The writers are in charge. The writers decide what the material is.

I pay taxes in three countries, but can't vote in any of them.

Executives do not on the whole do well with comedy. They can't understand it, they can't read it, they can't spot it.

My first professional job was appearing in a disastrous theatre production of Oh, What a Lovely War in Leicester Rep, shortly after leaving Cambridge.

So it became in my mind a nine-carol service; an oratorio and orchestral concert all in one, but with narration. That's something I've learned about, because it's the story that keeps you in there. I wrote a libretto and I gave it to John Du Prez. We normally don't work in this fashion but I said off you go, and he went off for about three months. He brought me back this demo which blew my mind.