Monty Python's surviving members have reluctantly decided that their tenth and final gig at the O2 Arena in London on July 20 will probably be their last live performance together. Tickets for this show have been held back pending this decision and will now go on sale at 12 noon tomorrow, Friday, April 4.

The Pythons – John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin – had hoped to take up some of the many offers to perform at arenas all over the world, but individual commitments to other projects over the next three years has made this impossible. 

The septuagenarian Pythons are well aware of what these shows mean to their fans. They have put together a dazzling spectacle featuring all of the favourite sketches, musicians, dancers, with set and lights by the creative team behind the London Olympic closing ceremony. Arlene Phillips is doing the choreography. 

It might be worth noting, however, that the press statement says "probably" their last. Beyond The Joke has learnt that some members of the team were keener than others to do more shows after the O2. Michael Palin, for example, had already said he could not do American dates because of other commitments. Making the announcement on Simon Mayo's Radio 2 show, Palin did say the gig would be "the last ever", but he also joked that it might depend on whether members had mortgages and divorce settlements to pay off in the future.

Remaining tickets for the other shows and tickets for the final show can be bought here.