Comedy veterans Monty Python are set to reunite for a stage show.

Surviving members John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin are expected to announce the production, following months of secret talks, at a press conference in London tomorrow.

Jones said: "We're getting together and putting on a show - it's real. I'm quite excited about it. I hope it makes us a lot of money. I hope to be able to pay off my mortgage!"

Meanwhile, Idle tweeted: "Only three days to go till the Python press conference. Make sure Python fans are alerted to the big forthcoming news event." He added: "Python meeting this morning. Can't wait."

Groundbreaking show Monty Python's Flying Circus, famous for its Dead Parrot sketch and for breaking the rules on traditional sketch writing, was made for TV between 1969 and 1974.

The Pythons went on to make comedy feature films including Monty Python And The Holy Grail (1975) and the controversial Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979), the story of a man who was mistaken for Jesus.

The movie was attacked as blasphemous by religious groups but despite being banned by some councils it was a huge box office success in the US and UK.

Their final film, Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life (1983) was the last time the six Pythons worked together and it won the jury prize at the Cannes film festival.

Sixth Python Graham Chapman died of cancer in 1989 aged just 48.