And now for something completely different...
Good news, tech-savvy Monty Python fans. Now you can enjoy 22 classic sketches from the first series of Monty Python's Flying Circus in one handy, Apple-y app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. It's called 'Python Bytes' - and you can get a sneak preview by clicking on the promo video above.
As well as sketches, the app also carries new and exclusively-recorded back stories from John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones - and you can either create your own personalised show, or shake your iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch to randomly select a sketch. The cost? £1.99 from the iTunes app store.
The app was developed by Heuristic - and the company's co-founder Richard Loncraine is none other than the director of Michael Palin's 1982 film The Missionary. "To the day I die, I will never forget bouncing along in the back of an open Landrover, surrounded by elephants, giraffe and wildebeest as Michael performed one Python sketch after another," Loncraine says. "He’s kept me laughing ever since. I’m now delighted to be in the position to bring the Python genius to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch with Heuristic.”
And in a suitably silly PR comment, Terry Gilliam remarks: “I never knew shaking hands could be this funny until I saw 'Python Bytes'. Why waste money making calls - laughs are cheaper.”
There's even better news for Python fans in the London area, to boot. Michael Palin, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam will be launching the app at Apple's Regent Street store at 6.30pm on Thursday 3 May. And, as if the chance to see three living comedy legends in the flesh wasn't enough, the Python Bytes app also includes an 'Autograph' feature that enables you to get your app signed by the Pythons and then share the photo with your chums.
And if you can't make it? Console yourself with our compilation of classic Python sketches below. No iPhone required...