The Latest Breaking News from John Cleese

Ex-Monty Python star John Cleese has insisted criticism of Islam is "not racist" and he claims phobias are "for spiders", after MP Rupert Lowe - who is carrying out an independent inquiry into sex abuse gangs - claimed the Muslim Council of Britain stated his inquiry's findings were "Islamophobic".

The 86-year-old said that ‘very few people understand comedy’.

Such is his grumpiness, it isn’t clear why the 85-year-old wanted to make the film – though ‘I need the money’ is a running gag

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‘It was very unpleasant waking up in the morning, because you feel very, very depressed for the first couple of hours,’ says the comedy legend

In his new documentary Cleese discusses a nervous breakdown he had following his third divorce.

John Cleese paid tribute to both stars while sharing snaps of the trio laughing together at an event on Instagram

From her assistance with crosswords to a wink that set a career in motion, Guardian readers share favourite memories of the actor

His award-winning film about the likely impact of a nuclear bomb was banned from television for two decades