LONDON (AP) – And now for something completely different: Britain’s Royal Mail has issued stamps celebrating the absurdist comedy of Monty Python.

The 10-stamp series announced recently celebrates some of the troupe’s most iconic characters and catchphrases, from “Nudge, nudge” to “The Lumberjack Song”.

Six stamps depict scenes from the sketch-comedy TV series Monty Python’s Flying Circus, including The Spanish Inquisition, The Ministry of Silly Walks, and Dead Parrot.

Another four mark the 50th anniversary of the cult classic 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, including one showing the limb-losing Black Knight insisting, “’Tis but a scratch”.

Made up of Michael Palin, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Graham Chapman, Monty Python brought a unique blend of satire, surrealism and silliness to British TV screens in a series that ran from 1969 to 1974. The troupe also made several feature films, including And Now for Something Completely Different, Monty Python’s Life of Brian and Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life.

Royal Mail’s Director of External Affairs David Gold said the collection “honours a body of work that has shaped the comedic landscape for nearly six decades”.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin