JOHN CLEESE: I’M GLAD I HAD A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN
John Cleese has said he is “glad” he had a nervous breakdown in 2008 following his third divorce.
The Monty Python star described having “two and a half, three months of a nervous breakdown with suicidal thoughts” after his split from Alyce Faye Eichelberger, a psychotherapist.
The actor-writer said his breakdown gave him “a much more realistic grasp of what was important in life”, speaking in a documentary, John Cleese Packs It In.
In the 90-minute film Cleese embarked on a European tour and explained he was still performing in his 80s because of the financial effects of the divorce.
On the emotional effects, he said: “It was very unpleasant waking up in the morning, because you feel very, very depressed for the first couple of hours.
“But once they got me on a mild dose of an antidepressant, then I got rid of it fairly quickly and was performing again within about three or four months.
“And I think I’m glad it happened to me, because it gave me a much more realistic grasp of what was important in life, because we can certainly get distracted.”
‘They buy tickets because they like me’
On his tour, Cleese travelled to cities including Gothenburg, Ghent and Rotterdam.
The actor, known for playing Basil in Fawlty Towers, said he enjoyed the “good feeling” of audience laughter.
He added: “In the old days, I used to have a lot of stage fright, but when I go out now to perform, the people have bought tickets because they like me.
“So as I come out, there’s a lovely reception because they like the kind of humour that I do.”
Asked if he was apprehensive about bringing a camera crew into his life, he added: “This is what we have to live with now, isn’t it? And I don’t have anything particularly to hide.”
Cleese also reflected on the changing comedy scene and the idea of “wokeness” which he said was “a whole spectrum” that was “totally sensible and admirable” at one end, but far from it at the other.
He said: “I feel that we’re in danger of not understanding the nature of comedy. What I think few people really understand is that all comedy is critical.
“If you have a very clever, kind, generous, wise, amusing person, there’s nothing to laugh at. We laugh at people who were torn apart by ridiculous, egotistical emotions like competitiveness or anger or those kind of negative emotions, as we call them – that’s what we laugh at.”
Cleese added: “Just because we’re laughing at people doesn’t mean that it is unkind, [although] it can be unkind – and it’s very nasty when it is.”
John Cleese Packs It In will play at more than 350 UK cinemas on Nov 13.
2025-11-12T10:35:41Z