John Cleese: 'When you're this old, you're going to die soon'

John Cleese had fans in stitches by joking about his imminent death.

The 77-year-old comedian insists he no longer cares very much about what people think of him because he is "astonishingly old" and won't be around much longer.

He said: "I've forgotten how old I am. It's very nice being this old, because when you're this old you're going to die soon, so you don't give a f***, you see?"

But the Monty Python star insists he isn't afraid of death because "most of the best people" have passed away, while there are lots of "really awful" people still walking the earth.

Asked by Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show if death scares him, he said: "I'm not afraid of death. I mean, I was thinking about it a lot because you do as you get older. And I thought, 'Well, most of the best people are dead.'

"And there are an awful lot of really awful people still alive. And most of them are in charge!"

John is currently taking part in question and answer sessions after screenings of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' but he admitted he isn't a big fan of the classic comedy.

He said: "Everyone in America thinks it's such a wonderful movie. I don't particularly like it!"

The veteran funnyman - who married fourth wife Jennifer Wade in 12 - previously joked he wished "one or two" of his ex-wives were dead.

John - who has famously paid out over $30 million in divorce settlements - referenced his second wife Barbara Trentham who died in 2013 after suffering from leukaemia when joking about his personal life.

He said: "I have been married for 34 years. To four different wives. One of my ex-wives died, did you know that? It was very sad because it was the wrong one!"

He was then asked if he had any real anger toward his former spouses - who alongside Barbara are Connie Booth and Alyce Eichelberger.

John said: "No, no [I have no anger toward them]. I'd be quite happy if one or two of them were dead, but I have nothing against them. I don't have anything against them as people...

"Not slow, agonising death, sort of drawn out over many many years or anything like that. Something quick like a tree falling on them."

- Bang! Showbiz