Monty Python star John Cleese hit back at former co-star Eric Idle earlier in the week, leaving fans stunned that the classic comedians had appeared to have fallen out.
However, the 84-year-old has now insisted his scathing remarks were just a joke.
It came after Idle, 80, took to X, formerly Twitter, at the weekend to criticise the much-loved comedy show and its creators, explaining he has to "work for a living" at his age.
The actor and comedian shared: “I don't know why people always assume we're loaded.
“Python is a disaster. Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age,” he went on before blasting manager Holly Gilliam.
In retaliation, Cleese, 84, penned on his X account: “I have worked with Holly for the last ten years.
John Cleese joked he and Idle 'loathed and despised' each other
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“I find her very efficient, clear-minded, hard-working, and plea ant to have dealings with. Michael Palin has asked me to make it clear that he shares this opinion. Terry Gilliam is also in agreement with this.”
Idle also posted that he hadn’t seen Cleese in “seven years” and was “happy” about it, seemingly confirming a rift between the former co-stars.
As surprised fans questioned Cleese further about his relationship with Idle, he replied to one writing: “We have always loathed and despised each other, but it’s only recently that the truth has begun to emerge.”
However, he has since argued his remarks weren’t serious, labelling publications that reported on the “feud” as having “got it totally wrong”.
Eric Idle fumed on X over the weekend about Monty Python being a "disaster"
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He went on to say the media has no “sense of humour” and blasted the press for printing his comments.
However, his defence of Gilliam seems to have been serious after Idle fumed: “We own everything we ever made in Python and I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously.
“But I guess if you put a Gilliam child in as your manager you should not be so surprised. One Gilliam is bad enough. Two can take out any company.”
In his X rant, Idle also fumed: "Python gets one-third of the creative royalties for underlying rights. The largest deal ever made.
“It came out of JDP and my share. They literally have made millions from the show.”
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Cleese and Idle are famed for starring in hit classic, Monty Python
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Responding to suggestions that Netflix could make a documentary about Python, he fumed: “F*** Netflix and f*** documentaries.”
However, he went on to assure his X followers: “I’m fine. I’m engaged and writing. It’s the thing I do and like the most.
“Creating a new show. Something that feels so completely normal. Been doing it since 1963. I have learned a lot. But then I had some great mentors.”
The comedian co-founded Python in 1969 along with Graham Chapman, Cleese, Gilliam, Michael Palin and Terry Jones and the comedians built their careers off the series.
