Eric Idle, 83, Hospitalized Again, Reveals Illness

Eric Idle was hospitalised for the second time in three days this week.

The Monty Python legend, 83, suspects he has Gastroenteritis – inflammation of the stomach and intestines, typically caused by a viral or bacterial infection – and thanked the medical staff at Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai for their ‘kindness and help’.

He penned to X on Monday: ‘So I’d like to thank all the doctors nurses and staff in the Cedars GI ward for their kindness and help to me today.

‘The second time in three days. I think I’m suffering from Gastroenteritis. I love you people.’

Eric received several messages of good will from his followers who wrote: ‘Get well quickly’… ‘Praying for you sir’… ‘Get well soon Eric’. 

Gastroenteritis is usually caused by viral or bacterial infections and is generally a self-limiting illness.

Last year, Eric admitted he ‘shouldn’t be alive’.

The comedian underwent surgery after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2019, and was thankful the disease was caught early as he now enjoys ‘every moment’ of his life.

Asked if having cancer had changed him, he told The Times newspaper: ‘Oh, I shouldn’t be alive. I’m a lucky b****** and I enjoy every moment.’

He initially thought his doctor was joking when he broke the news of his diagnosis.

He said: ‘I had been working on a project called ‘Death: The Musical’ and I asked my doctor which type of cancer I could use to finish off one of my characters. He said, ‘Pancreatic cancer, it can finish people off in three weeks.’

Ten years later, Eric had routine tests with the same doctor and queried an ominous-looking blood result.

The British-born funnyman added: ‘He said, ‘Pancreatic cancer’ and I burst out laughing because I thought he must be joking.’ 

Eric previously revealed there was a rift in the Monty Python troupe and confessed the show was a financial ‘disaster’.

The comedian co-created the iconic programme, and starred in its various spin-off films including Life of Brian and The Meaning of Life.

Monty Python were a British comedy troupe formed in 1969 consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Eric.

Eric said he was struggling financially and had been forced to sell his house and continue working well past retirement age.

He took aim at Holly Gilliam, the TV lawyer daughter of fellow Python Terry Gilliam, on social media. 

She took over the Python brand in 2013 as part of HDG Projects Ltd, and in a new tweet Eric wrote: ‘I don’t know why people always assume w’re loaded.

‘I have to work for my living. I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously. I have been working and earning for Pythons since 1995. And now no more.’

In a dig at Holly, he continued: ‘I guess if you put a Gilliam child in as your manager you should not be so surprised. One Gilliam is bad enough. Two can take out any company.’

Eric’s daughter Lily publicly stood by her father by penning on X: ‘I’m so proud of my dad for finally finally finally starting to share the truth.

‘He has always stood up to bullies and narcissists and absolutely deserves reassurance and validation for doing so.’

The group came to prominence for the sketch comedy series Monty Python’s Flying Circus, which aired on the BBC from 1969 to 1974