Eric Idle has been forced to scrap his forthcoming Australian and New Zealand tour after receiving medical advice against performing.
The 83-year-old comedian confirmed the cancellation of his entire An Evening of Idle Conversation run, which had been scheduled across November and December.
“It is with great regret that, on the advice of my doctors, I must withdraw from my planned An Evening of Idle Conversation tour of Australia and New Zealand,” Mr Idle said in a statement.
“This isn’t a decision I take lightly, but when the doctors talk, I must listen.”
He apologised to ticket holders and venues alike, adding: “I will do all I can to get back there soon, health permitting. Meanwhile, you can still read my book.”
The tour had been due to kick off in Melbourne on November 22, with subsequent dates arranged in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth.
Audiences at the shows would have heard Mr Idle look back on a remarkable career spanning more than 60 years, including unheard insight into his part of the legendary Python troupe.
The evening format was also set to feature stories from his friendships with some of entertainment’s most celebrated figures, including the late Beatle George Harrison and comedian Robin Williams.
Fans responded with an outpouring of support on social media following the announcement, especially given the actor’s previous health woes.
The announcement has raised particular alarm because of Mr Idle’s previous fight against pancreatic cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2019 and kept private before revealing it publicly in 2022.
He received an early diagnosis of the notoriously deadly disease and, after undergoing treatment, was eventually given the all-clear.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Mr Idle recalled the surreal moment he learned of his condition, explaining that his own doctor had previously recommended pancreatic cancer as a fitting way to dispatch a character in a musical he was writing called Death: The Musical.
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“I laughed [when I was given the diagnosis] because I thought it was a joke,” he said. “But I survived! Basically, I shouldn’t f*****g be here. Every day is extra time for me. I just hope there aren’t any penalties at the end.”
Since surviving cancer, Mr Idle has spoken candidly about how the experience reshaped his perspective on life and mortality.
In a letter published by The Big Issue, he described feeling as though he had been granted a “reprieve” since 2019, declaring: “I don’t know or care what people say about me, I’m lucky every single day.”
He also reflected on the pain of losing close friends over the years, naming director Mike Nichols, Jonathan Miller and Williams among those he misses most, while noting he still occasionally speaks to Billy Connolly.
Mr Idle was one of six members of the Python comedy group alongside Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Sir Michael Palin, whose groundbreaking BBC series ran from 1969 to 1974.
He went on to write the hit musical Spamalot, inspired by the troupe’s 1975 film The Holy Grail.
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