John Cleese Suggests He’s Quitting X To “Encounter A Better Class Of Person” On Substack​on January 29, 2025 at 10:03 am

John Cleese, the 85-year-old British comedy icon, has suggested that he is kicking his Twitter/X habit after 18 years.

An avid poster on Elon Musk‘s social media platform, the Monty Python star said he was moving to Substack, where he hopes to encounter a “better class of person.”

In a video announcing his decision, Cleese twinkled and raised his eyebrows, telling his 5.4M followers: “And also, it’s not owned by you know who.”

He was not definitive about leaving X, meaning he may continue posting on the platform as he builds his Substack following.

Over on Substack, Cleese added: “I used to like Twitter but always felt very constrained by the 144 limit. This brought problems for the irony-challenged, who misunderstood a lot of what I was trying to say.

“I hope that now I am on Substack I can offer ideas of greater subtlety to my ex-Twits, whom I shall refer to henceforth as ‘my followers.’”

Cleese regularly roasts Donald Trump on X and, in recent days, has been embroiled in a row with Piers Morgan over Rupert Murdoch.

Cleese branded Morgan “lazy” and “sloppy” for defending Murdoch following News Group Newspaper’s settlement with Prince Harry over privacy invasion.

Morgan responded: “I’m bemused. You say you’ve chosen not to work for Rupert Murdoch yet you starred in The Day The Earth Stood Still in 2008 which was produced by 20th Century Fox, owned at the time by.. Rupert Murdoch. Were you being lazy, sloppy, or just a lying hypocrite?”

Cleese joked: “Before I continue my spat with Piers Morgan I need a little time to research the difference between a memory lapse and actual perjury.”