John Cleese is back in the news and burning more bridges on his way.

Er, hang on, in fact it looks like he's burning all his bridges. Well, at least his acting ones, anyway.

Cleese has announced his retirement from his performing profession to turn, instead, to teaching. He is putting together a series of masterclasses in which he will pass on the invaluable experience his has gained during his exceptional career in the comedy world.

In line with this he is also planning on writing a book about the history of comedy stating that, I'm too tired to write new comedy. I can never do better than Fawlty Towers whatever I do. Now I very much want to teach young talent some rules of the game."

The book will run from the classic silent comedy greats such as Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd and progress to Ricky Gervais who Cleese described as being, "the height of modern entertainment."

Perhaps what has encouraged him to the decision to leave the acting world behind him was the indelicate nature in which he feels he was excluded from the latest Bond film, Casino Royale. Cleese was first introduced to the franchise as gadgets assistant 'R' in The World is Not Enough and then took over the role of 'Q' for Die Another day.

Cleese complained, "Q doesn't appear in Casino Royale but it would have been nice if the producers had the courtesy to telephone me."