The comic team Monty Python, whose BBC TV series from the 1970s and feature films took their subversive humour and "Dead Parrot" routine around the world, are to reunite for a stage show, British media reported on Wednesday.

A news release issued on behalf of the five surviving Pythons, Eric Idle, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin and Terry Jones, all in their 70s, said that an official announcement would be made on Thursday (November 21).

But several British newspapers and media outlets reported that the five would be appearing on stage for the first time together since the 1980s.

The group was famed for its skits about a man trying to return a dead parrot to a shopkeeper who claimed the bird was "resting" and for poking fun at the establishment, the military and religion.

On his Twitter account, Palin wrote: "The Python rides again...?" while Idle on Tuesday tweeted: "Only three days to go till the Python Press Conference. Make sure Python fans are alerted to the big forthcoming news event."

The BBC programme "Monty Python's Flying Circus" was made for television between 1969 and 1974.

The Pythons went on to make films including "Monty Python And The Holy Grail" (1975) and "Monty Python's Life of Brian" (1979).

They last performed live together in Monty Python Live At The Hollywood Bowl in 1982. The sixth Python, Graham Chapman, died of cancer at age 48 in 1989.

Presented by Adam Justice