John Cleese has sold his house for around half the asking price to pay for his forthcoming divorce.
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The comic actor has agreed to sell his Californian ranch – the property he lived in with estranged third wife Alyce Faye Eichelberger – for $16.5million, despite putting it on the market for $28million.
The 14.6 acres of land and property near Santa Barbara – which has a beautiful mountain view – attracted little interest before the low bid was accepted.
In the terms of the divorce settlement, Cleese may have to hand over a £1.2million New York apartment and a £2.5million house in Holland Park to Eichelberger.
Psychotherapist Eichelberger is also demanding £900,000 a year and half his earnings since 1992, claiming she is used to “being entertained by royalty in castles”.
Cleese insists his estranged wife is basing her demands on a “banner year” in 2007 when his earnings were boosted by voicing a character in Shrek the Third and £750,000 made on a property sale.
The comedian recently spoke about his costly split, joking: “It’s going to be very expensive but it will be worth every penny.”
The couple split in January after 15 years of marriage and have no children together.
