Monty Python's Flying Circus
5 October 1969

Image: Monty Python's Flying Circus cast, November 1969
The first episode of seminal comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus, subtitled 'Whither Canada?', was broadcast just before 11pm on Sunday 5 October 1969. The Radio Times celebrated the launch with a spoof board game that set Monty Python in the context of previous satirical and late night shows. In the first programme sketches included 'famous deaths' presented by Mozart, the writing of the funniest and deadliest joke in the world, and an interview with Arthur 'Two Sheds' Jackson.
The writers and performers of Monty Python were assembled by Barry Took. Graham Chapman and John Cleese had previously worked together on At Last the 1948 Show. Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam had just finished Do Not Adjust Your Set. Whither Canada? also featured Carol Cleveland, who became a regular cast member. The Flying Circus team developed the stream of consciousness form of Spike Milligan's anarchic and absurd comedy Q5 and by adding Gilliam's cartoon links, created a loose narrative.
After three series John Cleese left. The fourth and final series was simply known as Monty Python. Graham Chapman died in 1989 but the influence of Monty Python's Flying Circus has been so great that the word 'pythonesque' is now in the dictionary.
Further reading
- Monty Python at 50‘Sick’, ‘tripe’ and ‘a delicious sense of the ridiculous’, Monty Python shocked and delighted BBC audiences in equal measure. To celebrate 50 years of Python in 2019, BBC History digs deep inside BBC Archives and lifts the lid on how the series was commissioned, aspiring writers use Monty Python for new comic creations, and our gallery unearths some rarely seen images to mark a very special birthday.
October anniversaries
- Winston Churchill's first wartime broadcast 1 October 1939
- Songs of Praise 1 October 1961
- Live and Kicking 2 October 1993
- Points of View 2 October 1961
- The Trials of Life3 October 1990
- Pick of the Pops 4 October 1955
- Monty Python's Flying Circus5 October 1969
- Poldark 5 October 1975
- You and Yours 6 October 1970
- Woman's Hour 7 October 1946
- DIY SOS7 October 1999
- Later... with Jools Holland 8 October 1992
- In Touch8 October 1961
- Make Yourself At Home - Programmes for Immigrants 10 October 1965
- Grandstand 11 October 1958
- Around the World in 80 Days 11 October 1989
- On The Move 12 October 1975
- First edition of Any Questions 12 October 1948
- First edition of Omnibus 13 October 1967
- Bombing of Broadcasting House 15 October 1940
- Play For Today 15 October 1970
- First televised Party Election Broadcast 15 October 1951
- Birds of a Feather 16 October 1989
- Blue Peter first broadcast16 October 1958
- The Magic Roundabout 18 October 1965
- BBC Symphony Orchestra first broadcast22 October 1930
- Captain Pugwash 22 October 1957
- Terry and June 24 October 1979
- Launch of daytime television 27 October 1986
- The Wednesday Play first broadcast 28 October 1964
- First edition of Today 28 October 1957
- Maida Vale opens30 October 1934