Monty Python legend Eric Idle is responsible for some of comedy's greatest lines, but he was momentarily lost for words while accepting an honorary doctorate in Adelaide.

Key points: Eric Idle has received an honorary doctorate from UniSA

Eric Idle has received an honorary doctorate from UniSA The Monty Python member has also published a book Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

The Monty Python member has also published a book Always Look on the Bright Side of Life A crowd of more than 2,000 attended the ceremony

The British comedy master, songwriter and author received the accolade from the University of South Australia in recognition of his "enormous impact on the entertainment industry across the world".

The occasion coincided with Idle's tour of Australia to promote his new book — Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: A Sortabiography — a nod to the iconic song he wrote for the conclusion of the 1979 film Monty Python's Life of Brian.

At the Adelaide Convention Centre on Thursday night, Idle wore the traditional ceremonial robes, but not without showing his mischievous wit.

"Another silly costume, hey? I don't know quite what to say. I feel like I've been in this movie before and I don't know what my words are," he told an audience of more than 2,000 people.

"I don't know what on earth I did to deserve this, it's very, very kind of you."

Michael Palin, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam and Eric Idle smile as they arrive at the premiere of Monty Python: Almost The Truth (Lawyer's Cut). ( Reuters: Lucas Jackson )

Asked about the significance of his honorary doctorate, he quipped that all he needed now was "an honorary patient".

'It's how you do things, not just what you've written'

Idle — who said his writing style had been "compared to Graham Greene, but never favourably" — was interviewed after the formalities by Radio National Science Show presenter Robin Williams.

The discussion included Idle's childhood interest in comedy, his time at boarding school and the moment he met John Cleese at Cambridge before the birth of the Monty Python comedy troupe.

He noted the early years of Monty Python, where he also wrote material for other comedians.

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"When we were writing Python early on, we'd read the sketches out to each other, and if it made us laugh it'd be in Monty Python, and if it didn't make us laugh we sold them to The Two Ronnies," he said.

Idle revealed Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett had rejected the script for the famous "nudge nudge" sketch, which Idle later brought to life.

"I wrote it for Ronnie Barker and they sent it back and I don't blame them because if you read it, it's not at all funny," he said.

"The point is, it's how you do things, not just what you've written."

The conversation was at times poignant and touched on the loss of Idle's father who, after surviving World War II as a member of the Royal Air Force, was killed in a road accident while hitchhiking home for Christmas in 1945.

But it was also rich in amusing anecdotes, including the vital role played by The Beatles member George Harrison, who mortgaged his house to raise the necessary $4.5 million to fund the Life of Brian movie.

"When asked why he did that, he said, 'Because I wanted to see the film'. It's the most anybody's ever paid for a cinema ticket," he said.

Idle reflected on the meaning of life

UniSA Professor David Lloyd presents Idle with his doctorate. ( Supplied: University of South Australia )

The ceremony was organised by the university's Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre.

Vice Chancellor Professor David Lloyd said it was a joy to bestow the honour to Idle, who he described as "a man who has mercilessly lampooned Yorkshiremen, Scots, Australians, Canadians, Germans, French, lumberjacks, Judeans, Pharisees and Romans — though notably, not the Irish".

"Though Eric Idle has spent a good deal of time in his career dressed in women's clothing, and has a performance wardrobe full of cardigans, we're going to add to his dress collection tonight with some academic clothing," he said.

The evening concluded on a more philosophical note, with Idle reflecting about a subject tackled by Monty Python, the meaning of life.

"We do forget that we're actually on a planet, we forget that underneath us are these big plates moving around rubbing against each other, we're barrelling through space," he said.

"We tend to be worried about [US President Donald] Trump, but we're on a bloody tiny little ball that is fragile and could be smashed any minute or could disappear under water.