On Monday 30th June Monty Python hit The London Palladium. The world’s press gathered to see the five surviving members of the legendary British comedy troupe – John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones – reveal the inside details about their 10 upcoming, last-ever shows.

The atmosphere and spaciousness of the Palladium proved the perfect venue for a press launch of this magnitude, as journalists from around the globe flooded into the theatre complete with ample broadcasting equipment, determined to document the unique historical moment. It also seemed fitting that, at the place The Beatles’ career really took off in 1963, the comedic equivalent joined forces to promote a show for one last time.

The launch opened with a hilarious skit featuring Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts watching sport on TV (whilst they are supposed to be going through a ‘set list’ for their own reunion shows). On hearing news of a Python reunion, Mick remarks ‘are they still going, who wants to see that again? It’s a bunch of wrinkly old men trying to relive their youth…they must be coining it in!’ Mick did pay testament to Graham Chapman, the Python who died in 1989 ‘the best one died years ago’, a comment the Pythons themselves seemed to agree with as they went on to discuss Graham’s incredible talent.

The Pythons hinted at what to expect from the show, including celebrity involvement ranging from astrophysicists Stephen Hawking and Brian Cox, to comedian David Walliams who will conduct red carpet interviews at the final concert on 20 July. Monty Python forecast that this last show will be ‘a crazy party…like the last night of the Proms’, and confirmed that it will be broadcast live on Gold TV and at cinemas in over 100 countries.

The production sounds brilliant, featuring some of the Pythons’ most famous sketches along with raucous song and dance numbers, and is, by their admission ‘high-powered and energetic…especially for a 70 year old man’.  Idle confirmed its density and diversity by revealing ‘our motto has been ‘leave them wanting less’.

The launch however, as you can see by scrolling through the gallery, just left us wanting more.

It was a pleasure to host the Pythons, back together again, on the Palladium stage. They agreed ‘we laugh more when we’re together than at any other time’. The same could be said for the people assembled at the Palladium on the 30th June or those lucky enough to get a ticket to the show.