A High Court case over royalty rights to the stage show, Spamalot, has found in favour of film producer Mark Forstater.

Forstater, who produced Monty Python And The Holy Grail, claimed that he had been underpaid on royalties since 2005, when the musical opened.

Spamalot, written by Eric Idle and described on posters as "lovingly ripped off" from the 1975 film Holy Grail, opened on Broadway, taking $1 million in its opening week.

In his claim, Mr Forstater said that for financial purposes he should be considered "the seventh Python".

He claimed that his lost royalties amounted to more than £200,000.

The case centred around an agreement from 1974, under which investors in the Holy Grail film "were entitled to a share in 50% of all merchandise revenues and spin-off income".

Mr Forstater claimed he was entitled to one-seventh of this figure, the same share enjoyed by each of the other Pythons - but was told he was only entitled to one-fourteenth, and has been paid accordingly since 2005.

Eric Idle, Michael Palin and Terry Jones gave evidence at the trial, which found in favour of Mr Forstater.

A final figure of what Forstater will be paid will be established at a later date.

(MH/CD)