John Cleese is best known for being one of the founding members of the renowned comedy group Monty Python’s Flying Circus and as the writer and star of the popular television comedy Fawlty Towers. He studied Law at Cambridge University, where he met future fellow-Python, Graeme Chapman. During the Sixties... Read more
John Cleese is best known for being one of the founding members of the renowned comedy group Monty Python’s Flying Circus and as the writer and star of the popular television comedy Fawlty Towers.
He studied Law at Cambridge University, where he met future fellow-Python, Graeme Chapman. During the Sixties he was a script-writer for a number of BBC TV and radio programmes, including the influential Frost Report, presented by David Frost.
The television comedy Monty Python’s Flying Circus ran from 1969 to 1974 on the BBC. It was written and performed by John Cleese, along with fellow members Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Graeme Chapman, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam. He also co-starred in and co-wrote the films Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Monty Python’s Life of Brian and Monty Python’s Meaning of Life.
Having left Monty Python, he achieved probably his greatest success when he wrote (with Connie Booth) and starred in Fawlty Towers, which ran for two series. It recently topped the British Film Institute list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes.
During the 1980s and 1990s John Cleese focused mainly on film work. He has won BAFTA and Emmy awards, and was an Academy Award nominated screen writer for his film, A Fish Called Wanda. He appeared in two James Bond films, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day, as well as The Harry Potter and Shrek series.
In 1972 he demonstrated his interest in the business world when he set up the video training company Video Arts. The video used humour (and many of Cleese’s colleagues from British entertainment) to show good business practice, such as time-management, communication, customer service and creativity.
With Robin Skinner the family therapist John Cleese wrote two books on relationships, Families and How to Survive Them and Life and How to Survive It. The books are presented as a dialogue between Skynner and Cleese.
John Cleese is a passionate advocate of the need to encourage creativity in business life. He challenges the basis of the decision-making processes prevalent in most of today’s organisations. He argues that unless organisations are brave enough to reject the notion that business managers should think and act fast they will lose the ability to come up with innovative ideas and solutions and consequently put their futures in jeopardy. He proposes that there is a pressing need to harness the power of unconscious thinking.
On the corporate speaking circuit, John Cleese employs boundless energy and his inimitable sense of humour create a hilarious exploration of business basics, from corporate etiquette and customer service to creative thinking and problem solving.
Popular speech topics include:
• Business Basics with John Cleese
• An Evening with John Cleese
• Seven Ways to Skin an Ocelot
• What’s So Funny? Tips for Success in Education, Business and Relationships
• Creativity in Business: How Making Your Workplace Fun can Improve Your Bottom Line
• John Cleese on Business and Life: And You Thought You’d Figured it Out!
You can book John Cleese through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with John's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
John Cleese's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for John tailored to your event.
John Cleese speaks on Celebrities, Arts & Culture, Celebrity, Leadership & Motivation, Motivation. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with John to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book John Cleese for events worldwide, subject to John's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether John Cleese is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what John can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief John Cleese on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what John can offer.
John Cleese delivers keynotes in English. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
John Cleese's areas of expertise include Celebrities, Arts & Culture, Celebrity, Leadership & Motivation, Motivation. To get a clear sense of John's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
John Cleese can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Celebrities, Arts & Culture, Celebrity, Leadership & Motivation, Motivation is relevant. Details of John's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what John Cleese is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with John Cleese, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check John's current availability for your dates.