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Eric Idle is living a \u201cnormal life\u201d in his French bolthole \u2013 shunning showbusiness for a quieter life in the sun. The Monty Python<\/a> star admitted that \u201cnobody knows who he is\u201d while he\u2019s in mainland Europe, confessing during a BBC<\/a> Radio Scotland appearance that he has been going to the area since the height of his fame in 1971.<\/p>\n Host Nicola Meighan introduced listeners to comedy<\/a> icon Eric\u2019s \u201csecret hideaway\u201d. During their discussion, she said: \u201cTo start with, I was going to ask how you were, but because I was eavesdropping, I already know that you\u2019re in France and you\u2019ve been swimming and you\u2019re suntanned! This sounds wonderful, this is the Eric Idle we need in 2025!\u201d<\/p>\n Eric responded: \u201cThis is my secret hideaway, I\u2019ve been writing a book about it and it\u2019ll come out next year. You\u2019ll be able to learn all about my secret hideaway and how I swim in my pool. I\u2019ve loved it, I\u2019ve been down here since 1971 and I really like it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a good getaway from showbusiness, you know what I mean? It\u2019s a normal life. Nobody knows who you are, they don\u2019t care. They\u2019re all French. They just think I\u2019m a strange, eccentric Englishman, which is probably true.\u201d<\/p>\n Nicola replied: \u201cA home from home! I hope I didn\u2019t give too much away, I did just mention the country and not the location of your secret hideaway.\u201d<\/p>\n Laughing, Eric reassured her: \u201cIt\u2019ll be fine, I\u2019m outing myself next year anyway, I\u2019m giving up hiding!\u201d as Nicola quipped: \u201cBook your coach tours now!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Eric has even applied for a talent visa in France after post-Brexit<\/a> red tape meant he missed the opening of his Spamalot musical in Paris last year.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cThey love their Monty Python here in France<\/a>, we won the Jury Prize for The Meaning of Life at the Cannes Film Festival, so they do know Python.<\/p>\n