UK tour for Eric Idle

April 1st is all about jokes, so what better day for Eric Idle to announce he’s coming to somewhere maybe near you for an evening of comedy, music, philosophy and a fart joke…

After a highly successful Tour of Australia and New Zealand, Eric Idle is bringing his new show to the UK in September. He has been in show business since 1963. “Unfortunately, I can’t find the exit” he says, adding, “My role in life seems to be cheering people up,” he adds glumly.

A rare survivor of pancreatic cancer, he sings, ironically, “this may be the last time you see me” in an evening of rude songs, some singalongs, inappropriate remarks, reminiscences of fame, fortune and rare footage, plus a Virtual Band and surprise guests. In this one-man musical Eric, accompanied by The Virtual Band, a sort of Infinite Monkees Cage band, bids a fond farewell to old friends with rare footage from and a salute to the time he, along with others, gave The Beatles’ a spoof counterpart that could entertain 1000s, well maybe 100s.

Idle, star of stage, screen and crossword puzzles, has often been compared to Noel Coward. But never favourably. A legend in his own lunchtime, he reveals how he accidentally fell into comedy in 1963 and has been unable to climb out ever since.

From Monty Python to Rutland Television he’s done pretty much it all, including singing the theme tune to sitcom One Foot In The Grave. A personal highlight for anyone surely, other than maybe Pavarotti.

For the music part, within the evening, the show includes tributes to George Harrison, Robin Williams and Neil Innes with a salute to The Rutles, the Beatles parody movie he created, which was the world’s first ever mockumentary about the legendary pre-fab four, Dirk, Nasty, Stig and Barry.

Idle’s last solo UK performance was in front of a global audience of two billion at the London 2012 Olympic Games closing ceremony. Leading an 80,000-strong crowd in a sing-along of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, he was surrounded by a lively spectacle of Morris dancers, a choir of rugby players, and even skating nuns. Two years later, in 2014, he reunited with Monty Python for Monty Python Live (Mostly)—a sold-out, ten-night run at the O2 which he wrote and directed. It was also recorded and aired on UKTV.

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, coincidentally the title of his best-selling Sorta-biography, has been the Number One most requested ditty at British funerals for over twenty years.

It also appears in the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Broadway hit Spamalot, which Eric wrote with John Du Prez, and which returned to Broadway a year ago with rave reviews and packed houses and which starts a Tour stateside in September. His recent book, The Spamalot Diaries, an intimate look at the making of that show, was released last year.

Always Look On the Bright Side of Life LIVE!: Tickets for the tour go on general sale at 10am on Friday, 4th of  April via BookingsDirect.com.

Tour dates in September 2025

Wednesday 10th, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Friday 12th, Brighton Centre, Brighton

Sunday 14th, Empire Theatre, Liverpool

Thursday 18th, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

Saturday 20th, SSE Armadillo, Glasgow

Monday 22nd, The Playhouse, Ediburgh

Wednesday 24th, IC Centre, Bournemouth

Saturday 27th, The Royal Albert Hall, London