John Cleese 'surprisingly poor' after marriage split leaves him shortchanged (2024)

John Cleese opened up about his $20m divorce settlement in a new interview (Image: Getty)

John Cleese claimed he is "surprisingly poor" despite his five-decade career.

The Monty Python actor joked about how his $20m divorce has resulted in him having to work in his eighties.

In a new interview with Saga, the comic addressed why he continues to work on new projects with no plans of slowing down - as he admitted the end of his third marriage also motivated his decision.

John confessed the costly split, which resulted in a payout of $20million (£16million) to American psychotherapist and ex-wife Alyce Faye Eichelberger, 79, in 2008.

He said: "Can you believe when I met her, I had a beautiful house in Holland Park and no mortgage and when I broke up with her, I had a flat in Sloane Square and a full mortgage? How they figured out she was worth $20m, I have no idea."

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John Cleese split from his ex-wife Alyce Faye Eichelberger in 2008 (Image: Getty)

After their split, he embarked on his so-called Alimony Tour.

Despite having to fork out the huge sum, John said he has moved on from the anger, helped by how "absurd" and "ridiculous" the amount was.

The former couple tied the knot in 1992, two years after he divorced his second wife of 10 years, Barbara Trentham.

John and his first wife Connie Booth met in the US and married back in 1968. They welcomed daughter Cynthia in 1971 before they divorced seven years later in 1978.

He tied the knot with his fourth wife Jennifer Wade in 2012 and the couple split their time between the UK, the US and the Caribbean.

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John Cleese tied the knot with his fourth wife Jennifer Wade in 2012 (Image: Getty)

Despite his net worth being estimated at around £20 million, the actor suggested he is "surprisingly poor" and claimed he doesn't own a car or property now.

"I’m surprisingly poor, never thought it was necessary to own a great deal," he added. "The most important thing is to have enough money to have some really good food, buy clothes twice a year and have nice holidays."

You can read the full interview in May’s edition of Saga Magazine.

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