John Cleese will use the Monty Python reunion to pay his ex-wife.

The 74-year-old funnyman is to reunite with the legendary comedy troupe for a one-off show at London's The O2 in London next year and while he insists he isn't doing the lucrative reunion for money, John admits he is in need of the extra income to pay ex-wife Alyce Faye Eichelberger more than £600,000 a year.

John has been trying to pay Alyce nearly £8 million in money and assets over the last four years, following their divorce in 2008, and is obligated to pay her £612,000 annually until 2016.

He told The Sun newspaper: ''I was comfortably off seven years ago and could have probably spent my time writing. But you don't get paid very well for writing.

''I've had to do a lot of stage performances because I needed the money for alimony. I would like to reach the point where I can decide what work I do without even having to consider how much they pay.''

The 'Fawlty Towers' star, who married fourth wife Jennifer Wade in 2012, also admitted his new spouse helped convince him to reunite with his fellow Pythons, Terry Gilliam, 72, Terry Jones, 71, Eric Idle, 70, and Michael Palin, 70, for the stage show after meeting his colleagues over dinner in August.

He told The Sun newspaper: ''All the wives came along and we went for dinner. She adored them - it's a nice sort of family.''