John Cleese hits back after Muslim activists call for Monty Python stage show to be cancelled
John Cleese has sarcastically welcomed the calls for cancellation from a Muslim activist group after they targeted an upcoming show in Birmingham.
Mr Cleese is currently touring the country with his Holy Grail tour, where he screens the 1975 classic to audiences before engaging in a Q&A.
On Sunday, September 20, Mr Cleese is set to perform in Birmingham. However, local Muslim activists have called on organisers to put a stop to the gig.
Taking to X, the group, named Deenified, accused Mr Cleese of “using your platform to attack Islam” as well as “spreading dangerous misinformation and creating hostility towards Muslims.”
John Cleese has been a vocal critic of Islam
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PAOne of the activists added in a social media clip: “Let’s call out the hypocrisy: free speech has become a convenient shield for anti-Muslim hostility and vilification with no consequences.
“Free speech in this country is applied selectively. It only seems to extend to the groups the elites deem acceptable to vilify in order to meet their agenda.”
The activists ended with a plea to Birmingham Town Hall bosses to cancel the gig, claiming it “undermines public trust”.
The backlash stems from Mr Cleese’s criticism of aspects of Islam on social media. The 86-year-old has come under fire for several claims, including that the Qur’an is “all about killing infidels”.
John Cleese has responded to calls from activists who want his show cancelled
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PAHe has also suggested that Muslim beliefs are “attacking British values” and said London is “not an English city anymore”.
The Deenified X account directed its campaign to Mr Cleese directly. “@JohnCleese You’re not a comedian—you’re a hate preacher. Birmingham and its community outright reject your so-called ‘comedy.’ You aren’t welcome here,” they captioned the aforementioned clip.
Responding to Free Speech Nation host Josh Howie on X after he’d reposted the clip while calling for British comedians to rally around Mr Cleese, the Monty Python star had his say.
He fired back: “Let’s see what they get up to. Islamic folk are often very good fun, with great sense of humour, and especially of irony.
Let’s see what they get up to
Islamic folk are often very good fun, with great sense of humour, and especially of irony
I look forward to an evening of laughter https://t.co/jUsOIZecaO
— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) September 19, 2026
“I look forward to an evening of laughter,” he sarcastically signed off.
At the time of publication, the show is still scheduled to go ahead.
Mr Cleese kicked the tour off in Basingstoke earlier this month. Previewing the tour, he told BBC South East Today: “We show the film, but I don’t watch it as I’ve seen it over 7,000 times.
“So, I go round the corner and have dinner and then come back and answer questions from the audience.
Comedians John Cleese and Michael Palin were part of the hugely successful comedy troupe Monty Python |
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“It’s now rated as the 13th funniest film ever made and we had no idea what we were doing.
“The whole thing is a kind of minor miracle.
“It’s extraordinary. I come out and introduce the film for about 15 minutes and I tell them about the history and how we came to make it.”
Monty Python and the Holy Grail was the comedy troupe’s follow-up to their popular Flying Circus TV series.
They’re coming for you @JohnCleese. And they’ll use terrible editing to get what they want. pic.twitter.com/YLv6RzxuDz
— Josh Howie (@joshxhowie) September 18, 2026
It’s based on the Arthurian legend and features Mr Cleese as Sir Lancelot the Brave, the Black Knight, Tim the Enchanter, and other roles.
Fellow Python stars Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin star alongside Mr Cleese in the film.
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