
Tis but a stamp: Royal Mail set celebrates Monty Python favourite scenes
The stamps showcase highlights including the Spanish Inquisition, the Ministry Of Silly Walks, the Lumberjack Song, the Dead Parrot Sketch, Nudge Nudge, and Spam.
Formed in 1969, Monty Python was one of the UK's best-known comedy troupes, made up of comics Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Sir Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam.
Presented in a miniature sheet, and in honour of 50 years of the cult 1975 film, Monty Python And The Holy Grail, a further four stamps celebrate the film.
Scenes featured on the stamps include The Black Knight's defiant ''Tis but a scratch!', King Arthur and his knights receiving their divine quest, and Sir Robin's encounter with the Three-Headed Giant: 'You're lucky, you're not next to him!'
Sir Michael said, with a reference to a character from Monty Python's Flying Circus: 'Very glad to share a stamp with the nude organist!'.
David Gold, Royal Mail's director of external affairs and policy, said: 'Monty Python has left an indelible mark on global comedy, all while remaining unmistakably British at its core.
'From their groundbreaking television debut to a string of iconic films, this stamp collection honours a body of work that has shaped the comedic landscape for nearly six decades.'
The group followed their TV work by making a series of films including 1979's Life Of Brian, the story of a man who was mistaken for Jesus; and 1983's The Meaning Of Life.
Idle, 82, created the medieval musical Spamalot, which earned a Tony award for best musical after its Broadway run.
Chapman died of tonsil cancer in 1989 aged 48, while Jones died from a rare form of dementia in 2020, aged 77.
The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available to pre-order from August 7 and go on general sale from August 14.
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