Vintage channel That’s TV buys the rights

All four series of Monty Python’s Flying Circus is returning to free-to-air TV screens after almost 35 years.

Vintage TV channel That’s TV has bought the rights to all four series of the groundbreaking comedy, which it will air uncut every weeknight at 9pm from Monday.

Although a landmark comedy series, the BBC has not repeated the show in full since 1988 - to the annoyance of several former Pythons, especially John Cleese. 

He once suggested the lack of reruns was because it was ‘too funny’, telling 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.’

And he subsequently complained: ‘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.’

Even Michael Palin has said: ‘I am amazed it hasn’t been repeated.’

In 2018 the BBC’s then comedy chief, Shane Allen, caused something of a storm when he 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, also starring Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle and Terry Jones, made its debut on BBC One in 1969.

Minutes of a BBC programme review board from 1970 reveal that the BBC’s head of features had found parts ‘disgusting’. The controller of BBC One 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’s Flying Circus is just one of the classic comedies acquired for That’s TV to air this spring. Its forthcoming schedule also includes: The Kumars at No.42, Whose Line Is It Anyway? and Harry Enfield’s Television Programme.

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.’

However the full show was aired on the Paramount Comedy Channel in 2004 and episodes do occasionally air on the BBC. All four seasons are  currently available to Netflix subscribers.

That’s TV launched nationally last summer 2021  on Freeview channel 91 or 264, Sky channel 187 and Freesat channel 178. That’s TV’s local services are also available in 20 locations on Freeview channel 7 or 8.

Published: 11 Mar 2022