In a revelation that will shock comedy aficionados, Michael Palin has disclosed that Monty Python's seminal film, Life of Brian, teetered on the brink of collapse just days before production was scheduled to commence.
The legendary comedian recounted how the original financiers, EMI, abruptly withdrew funding after reading the final script, deeming the religious satire too controversial and potentially blasphemous. This left the Python troupe in a state of panic with a multi-million pound production about to vanish.
A Beatles Lifeline
Salvation arrived from an unlikely source: former Beatle George Harrison. A devoted Python fan, Harrison was so determined to see the film made that he famously mortgaged his own home, Henley Manor, to provide the necessary £3 million. Palin fondly recalled Harrison's simple, fan-based reasoning: "I just want to see the film."
The film, now celebrated as a classic, was met with protests and bans upon its 1979 release. Palin and co-star Terry Jones were tasked with defending their work in a now-legendary televised debate with the Bishop of Southwark and broadcaster Malcolm Muggeridge, which Palin believes they decisively won.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Palin emphasised the film's underlying sincerity, arguing it was a genuine critique of dogmatic adherence rather than a mockery of faith itself. The last-minute rescue by Harrison ensured that one of Britain's greatest cinematic comedies was saved from oblivion.
