John Cleese webchat 17 October

Hello John and thank you for calling in. I haven't yet read your autobiography so forgive me if you've answered this question in your book, but I wondered if you felt you had a good/significant relationship with your grandparents as you were growing up? And would you have changed your name if your father hadn't done so (from Cheese)?

Did it take a lot of practising to get the French accent for the Taunter in Monty Python? And did you write those fantastic witty insults yourself?

I really enjoyed 'A Fish called Wanda' and 'Clockwise'. You've been in quite a lot of films apart from the Python ones. Any plans for another feature film? And which is more rewarding, comedy shows or films?

Hi John - as a sixth form girl, I loved watching Monty Python (when I was allowed to) and we all had great fun re-enacting the sketches in school the next day.

But looking back on them now, they are awfully embarrassing with respect to their attitude to women. Have you, or any other of the Python team ever been asked to comment on that, and if so, what is the 21st Century feeling on this, seen from the Monty Python viewpoint?

Hello john huge fan of Python and your films (i was lucky enough to get a ticket with my wife and loved it - thank you).

I read that terry Jones described the relationship you all have like an old married couple. And as someone with nearlyforty years of marriage behind me, I wondered what you most bickered about. My wife and I still argue about who should drive. Although I nearly always win.

My eldest grandaughter is a huge Harry Potter fan - what was it like on set with so many amazing actors and also do you know yet if will you be in the new Harry Potter spin off movies that were just announced?

Can you still do a Silly Walk?

Hi John,

I read somewhere recently that you would rather not do anymore work. . So, with that in mind, what would your non-working day look like. Sort of a 'day in the life' of John…

I'm the opposite you see, worried about retiring because I have no idea what an earth I will do with all of the hours in the day!

Question for John Cleese

Hi John, great to have you here on Gransnet. Thanks for all the
wonderful years of Faulty Towers. We used to look forward to it and laugh,
omG, it was a tonic.

Is there a chance that you might consider doing any more of these, or even something similar. We are sadly in need of a good TV show that is entertaining and funny.

Cathy (Kennedy)

John .. I never fail to watch every single repeat of Fawlty Towers - almost know every script off by heart! AND I still laugh at every scene and nuance. Would you know if the hotelier who inspired you to write it moved to a hotel in Lyme Regis? I stayed there once and when I complained on the room phone that there was no hot water - he spat back that what did I expect - it WAS Saturday evening after all? When I insisted that I actually did expect hot water - he came bounding up the stairs and burst, without knocking, into my room to turn the taps on himself!! So Basil! Then in the dining room, he insisted that some American guests refer to the English breakfast they were ordering as "The Full House" and wouldn't accept their order until they spoke those exact words...they were so bewildered! More Basil!

Please do write something similar to FT ...soon!

Loved the Episode of Fawlty Towers with the dead body in the room was absolutely hilarious

Hello John you have said that you had a difficult relationship with your mother. Do you think this impacted on your relationships with women later in your life? I am thinking of your three marriages that failed.

Another Fawlty Towers fan here. Would love to know more about the inspiration. If only you had made more of them.

Thank you!

How on earth do you manage to come up with such good jokes? I'm not particularly gifted with conversation and I just can't imagine deliberately saying something funny!

Hi John,

I did a bit of digging and discovered that you're also a grandpa - do your grandchildren watch Fawlty Towers? My granddaughter is 11 and it's one of the programmes we love to watch together when she comes round (she's showing me how to watch it online). It's such a funny, good natured show and I think it's lovely having something to enjoy with my granddaughter.

Is it true that the actor that played Manuel was regularly injured during filming of Fawlty Towers? If it is - did he mind?

Is it true that your father's name was originally Cheese not Cleese. Cleese is obvioulsy a very nice name but I would have though Cheese would have had more comedic potential. Do you like cheese?

I just saw this on twitter and am so excited to have the chance to ask you a question.

Do you think your comedy career has benefitted from your being tall?

have you ever thought of running for parliament? Looking at what's going on these days we could do a lot worse than being governed by the ministry of silly walks