Eric Idle, comedian: Nothing is off limits in comedy
The Interview
BBC
4.3 • 537 Ratings
🗓️ 5 April 2026
⏱️ 13 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
“I think there's nothing off limits [with comedy] because it's subconscious, it's examining things. I find it quite interesting. And Monty Python was particularly good at not allowing ourselves to be censored, although people tried with ‘The Life Of Brian’... But that’s what made it a hit.”
John Wilson speaks to English comedian, writer, musician and actor Eric Idle about his life and career.
He’s best-known for being a founding member of the comedy troupe Monty Python, writing and performing across their four television series and their films, including ‘The Life Of Brian’ and ‘The Meaning Of Life’.
Idle is also behind the Tony Award-winning musical ‘Spamalot’, based on the film ‘Monty Python and The Holy Grail’. It ran twice in London’s West End and on Broadway, and has also been staged in 14 countries around the world.
Thank you to the This Cultural Life team for their help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC, including episodes with Mexican actor Diego Calva, tennis champion Martina Navratilova, and global music icon Stevie Wonder. You can listen on the BBC World Service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0800 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out three times a week on BBC Sounds or wherever you get your podcasts.
Presenter: John Wilson Producers: Ben Cooper and Edwina Pitman Editors: Justine Lang and Damon Rose
Get in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.
(Image: Eric Idle Credit: Sarah Jeynes/BBC)
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.8 | Hello, I'm BBC presenter John Wilson, and this is the interview from the BBC World Service, |
| 0:11.4 | the best conversations coming out of the BBC, people shaping our world from all over the world. |
| 0:18.1 | If you're not a little bit afraid, then you're not paying attention. |
| 0:22.7 | We have never seen a people so united. |
| 0:26.3 | Do not make that boat crossing. Do not make that journey. |
| 0:28.9 | Being born in America, feeling American, having people treat me like I'm not. |
| 0:33.1 | We're more popular than populism. |
| 0:36.6 | For this interview, I met the English comedian, writer, musician and actor Eric Idol at BBC |
| 0:42.5 | Broadcasting House in London. He's best known for being a founder member of the comedy |
| 0:47.1 | troupe Monty Python, writing and performing across their four television series and films, including |
| 0:53.1 | The Life of Brian and the Meaning of Life. |
| 0:55.9 | He was also behind the Tony Award-winning musical Spam a Lot based on the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. |
| 1:02.3 | For over 20 years, the stage musical has run twice in London's West End and on Broadway |
| 1:07.8 | and has also been stationed 14 countries around the world. |
| 1:11.8 | But success didn't always come easily. |
| 1:14.4 | At one point, a member of the Beatles stepped in to fund Eric's comedic vision when others said no. |
| 1:20.2 | In 1979, Monty Python reconvened for the Life of Brian, and of course, George Harrison |
| 1:24.7 | played such a key role. |
| 1:26.2 | He underwrote the film. He paid for it, didn't he? So we started to make it in Tunisia and build sets in our own money, and then Lou Grade read it. And he said, we're not making this at all. This is not us. Then we had to go to New York and try and raise the money for this film that had's just been now banned. Nobody wanted you to know. |
| 1:45.7 | And George saying, I've found you the money. |
| 1:47.3 | I've got it. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.