Monty Python comedians John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle and Terry Jones caused havoc on TV on Wednesday night when they abandoned an interview midway through and started a water fight.

Four of the five surviving castmembers came together for an appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to promote their new documentary Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyers Cut).

But the show was a comedic shambles from the start - Gilliam was forced to sit on the floor after Cleese removed one of the chairs that had been set out for the actors.

They then left presenter Fallon in giggles by answering his questions all at once, before walking away from the host to mingle with the studio audience.

When they returned to their seats, Idle, Jones and Gilliam started a water fight by throwing their mugs of water over Cleese, causing him to retaliate and chuck his drink back at his pals.

Cleese also tried to start a fake rumour about the only other surviving Monty Python member, Michael Palin, joking that he was absent from the interview because had died that morning.

He told the audience, "Early this morning Michael Palin died", prompting Fallon to query his comment saying, "But he's not dead, is he?"

Cleese then teased, "No, but he's not at all well (mentally)."

Palin was missing from the line-up as he was filming a travel documentary elsewhere.

The sixth castmember, Graham Chapman, passed away in 1989.