Britney Spears got a break for a change. Eric Idle, the English comedian best known for his work on Monty Python, has axed a joke that referenced Britney Spears.

The comedic icon told BBC News about the change:

“We don’t laugh at sad people. Britney is being tortured to death and we don’t want to be on that side.”

Of course, someone else will have to be replaced to be the brunt of the joke so Posh Spice will now be the pop icon to draw the laughs in the skit. Idle followed in the footsteps of fellow Brit Brian May who axed a reference to Ms Spears out of his musical about his former band ‘Queen’.