Eric Idle has blasted his Monty Python co-stars for being “miserable and horrible and bitchy” about royalty payments.

The 82-year-old comic wrote stage show Spamalot, which is based on his 1975 movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and he thinks the rest of the comedy troupe – whose surviving members are John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, and Michael Palin – should be more “grateful” for the money they receive from the production.

Asked if the other Pythons receive royalty payments, he told The Guardian newspaper: “They got more f***ing money than they’ve ever been grateful for. They got f***ing millions and they’re miserable and horrible and bitchy about it.

“I spent 20 years working for Python and then two years on the O2 show. They were there for two weeks.

“I’m not really motivated by money, to be honest. Anyway, the producers get all the f***ing money and divide it up according to the contract.

“Someone sued us for years, saying I was paying the Pythons money from my back pocket. And I said: why would I risk going to an American jail to give John Cleese more money?”

Idle admitted there was a “lot of arguing and fights” between the Monty Python stars but he thinks that was good for their work.

He said: “Some things in Python were very enjoyable and some were not. Holy Grail was cold and miserable. Sometimes that makes it funny. One of the worst things you can have in comedy is enough money.

“Python was quite a lot of arguing and fights and good work is often like that. The best thing about showbiz is when it’s over. I think if you’re enjoying yourself, then you’re not acting or giving, you’re just having a good time. Well, that’s not funny.”