{"id":27076,"date":"2026-09-21T18:13:49","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T18:13:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=27076"},"modified":"2026-09-21T18:13:49","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T18:13:49","slug":"monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-says-id-like-to-be-buried-here-in-provence-after-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-recalls-rebirth-talk-with-beatles-star-georg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=27076","title":{"rendered":"Monty Python star Eric Idle, 83, says \u2018I\u2019d like to be buried here\u2019 in Provence after surviving pancreatic cancer; recalls \u2018rebirth\u2019 talk with Beatles star George Harrison on his deathbed in 2001 |"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-134394296,imgsize-49044,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and-his-unforgettable-conversation-with-beatles-legend-george-harrison-about-death-rebirth-and-the-afterlife.jpg\" alt=\"Monty Python star Eric Idle, 83, says \u2018I\u2019d like to be buried here\u2019 in Provence after surviving pancreatic cancer; recalls \u2018rebirth\u2019 talk with Beatles star George Harrison on his deathbed in 2001\" title=\"Monty Python star Eric Idle, 83, reflects on surviving pancreatic cancer, finding peace in Provence and his unforgettable conversation with Beatles legend George Harrison about death, rebirth and the afterlife.\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"Monty Python star Eric Idle, 83, reflects on surviving pancreatic cancer, finding peace in Provence and his unforgettable conversation with Beatles legend George Harrison about death, rebirth and the afterlife.\">Monty Python star Eric Idle, 83, reflects on surviving pancreatic cancer, finding peace in Provence and his unforgettable conversation with Beatles legend George Harrison about death, rebirth and the afterlife.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Monty Python star <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/eric-idle\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Eric Idle<\/a> has opened up about mortality, his battle with pancreatic cancer, his enduring connection with the French countryside and his life away from the spotlight. At 83, the comedian and writer says he has found a sense of peace in Provence, where he spends around half the year.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/>\u201cI\u2019d like to be buried here,\u201d Idle told Radio Times in a recent interview while looking across the picturesque corner of Provence he calls home. \u201cBut only after I\u2019m dead.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"6\"\/>Idle, best known as one of the members of the legendary comedy group Monty Python, has long been associated with irreverent humour and his mischievous on-screen persona. However, his reflections on death have become more personal after surviving pancreatic cancer, a disease he says could have killed him.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"10\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Eric Idle on surviving pancreatic cancer<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Idle recalled the moment his doctor diagnosed him with pancreatic cancer. Rather than reacting with fear, he said he laughed because of an ironic coincidence.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"13\"\/>A year or two before his diagnosis, Idle had reportedly asked the same doctor which disease would be the quickest and most certain way to kill off a character in a musical he was writing. The answer was pancreatic cancer.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"15\"\/>The comedian has also developed an unusual connection with death through one of his most famous creations, \u201cAlways Look on the Bright Side of Life\u201d, the Monty Python song that has become a popular choice at funerals.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"18\"\/>\u201cI think having the number-one funeral song is pretty damn good. I love that, and I reckon it\u2019s really healthy,\u201d he said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"20\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Eric Idle recalls conversation with <keyword id=\"24237\" type=\"General\" weightage=\"20\" keywordseo=\"George-Harrison\" source=\"Orion\" solralias.seotitle=\"George-Harrison\" solralias.msid=\"61381692\" solralias.title=\"George Harrison\">George Harrison<\/keyword> about death<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Idle also reflected on a conversation he had with Beatles legend George Harrison about death and what might come after it. The two discussed the idea of an afterlife while Harrison was on his deathbed in 2001.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"23\"\/>According to Idle, Harrison believed he would escape rebirth, while Idle told him, \u201cI\u2019d give anything to be reborn.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"26\"\/>Asked what he would want to return as, Idle joked that he might choose to be an England Test cricketer &#8211; particularly from an era when players could still enjoy drinks in the evenings.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"28\"\/>Despite being responsible for some of Monty Python\u2019s most enduring work, Idle remains modest about the group&#8217;s legacy. He questioned whether Python\u2019s comedy would remain funny forever, while acknowledging that its influence has continued across generations.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Eric Idle&#8217;s life in Provence<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Idle&#8217;s affection for Provence is at the heart of his new book, Idle in Provence: A Brief History of Thyme. The memoir looks back at the property he bought in 1971, when it was little more than a ruined farm building without water, electricity, roads or even floors.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"34\"\/>Over the years, Idle transformed the property from what he jokingly calls a \u201cshack to shackeau\u201d.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"36\"\/>The book goes beyond renovation stories, offering a candid look at different chapters of his personal life. <!-- -->It touches upon his experiences following his divorce and the difficult period when his daughter was sectioned while he was preparing to perform at London&#8217;s O2 during the 2014 Monty Python reunion.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"40\"\/>Idle says the original motivation behind buying the property was to escape the pressures and expectations surrounding his life in Britain, Monty Python and fame.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"42\"\/>\u201cTo escape! To escape the long shadow of boarding school, and how people are in England, and Python, and fame, which is a silly illusion that doesn\u2019t help you much,\u201d he explained.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"45\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Hollywood stars found anonymity at Eric Idle&#8217;s French home<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>The secluded nature of Idle&#8217;s home also attracted several of his famous friends over the years. According to the comedian, stars including Harrison Ford, Paul Simon, David Bowie, Carrie Fisher and Robin Williams enjoyed visiting the property, along with members of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and The Who.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"48\"\/>The appeal, he suggested, was the anonymity they could enjoy in the small French community of Cotignac, where their celebrity status mattered little.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"51\"\/>\u201cNo man is a legend to his trousers,\u201d Idle quipped, deliberately altering a famous saying about a person not being a hero to their valet.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"53\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Eric Idle claims John Cleese and Michael Palin will not return<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>While his French home hosted several Monty Python members over the years, Idle made a pointed remark about two of his former collaborators.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"56\"\/>Asked about John Cleese and Michael Palin, Idle said there was \u201cabsolutely zero\u201d chance of either returning to his property.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"58\"\/>\u201cThey hate my guts. Don\u2019t ask me why. <!-- -->I only ever made them money,\u201d he said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"62\"\/>Idle also spoke candidly about his finances and the realities of continuing to work at 83. Despite his decades-long career, he said he still works to cover his healthcare costs in the United States, where he lives when he is not in Provence.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"65\"\/>He also criticised the way streaming platforms handle royalties, arguing that people often assume performers from successful shows are financially secure decades later.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"68\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Why Eric Idle wants to stay away from fame<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>For Idle, one of the biggest attractions of his life in Provence is the opportunity to exist without constantly being recognised as a celebrity.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"71\"\/>He described enjoying ordinary routines such as visiting the local bakery and supermarket and becoming part of the community.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"73\"\/>\u201cI really don\u2019t want to spend all day being mistaken for a comedian,\u201d he said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"75\"\/>Idle&#8217;s new book offers readers an intimate look at the place that has provided him with that escape for decades. Yet he remains unconcerned that revealing details about his French retreat could attract unwanted visitors.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"77\"\/>Asked whether writing about his home could make it easier for people to find, Idle responded with another characteristically dark joke: \u201cOh, it\u2019s hard to find. And if necessary we\u2019ll get shotguns.\u201d<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/entertainment\/english\/hollywood\/news\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-says-id-like-to-be-buried-here-in-provence-after-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-recalls-rebirth-talk-with-beatles-star-george-harrison-on-his-deathbed-in-2001\/articleshow\/134394176.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Monty Python star Eric Idle, 83, reflects on surviving pancreatic cancer, finding peace in Provence and his unforgettable conversation with Beatles legend George Harrison about death, rebirth and the afterlife. Monty Python star Eric Idle has opened up about mortality, his battle with pancreatic cancer, his enduring connection with the French countryside and his life [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27077,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and-150x150.avif","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and-300x169.avif","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and.avif","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and.avif","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and.avif","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and.avif","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and.avif","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and.avif","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and.avif","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and.avif","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and.avif","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and.avif","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and.avif","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/monty-python-star-eric-idle-83-reflects-on-surviving-pancreatic-cancer-finding-peace-in-provence-and.avif"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Monty Python star Eric Idle, 83, reflects on surviving pancreatic cancer, finding peace in Provence and his unforgettable conversation with Beatles legend George Harrison about death, rebirth and the afterlife. 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