Michael Palin, 76, has revealed his Monty Python co-star Terry Jones, 77, dementia has become so severe he is unable to speak but admitted there is still a “sparkle in the eye”. The comedy legend shared the update as he discussed the television series in a candid interview. Speaking to Radio Times, Michael spilled: “It’s very important to keep Terry in the picture. He’s still around, he’s not disappeared – quite apart from the wonderful work that he left behind, the work he’s done. “And there’s still a bit of Terry there, the sparkle in the eye.”
He added: “He can’t communicate, that’s the problem, which is so ironic for someone who loved words and debate and jokes and opinions and ideas.
“A dementia like that doesn’t suddenly stop or get better, but there’s enough of Terry there to make me feel grateful that I can still go and see him.”
In 2015, Terry was diagnosed with a form of dementia which impacts the ability to speak and to communicate.
His health concerns were first raised during their reunion show Monty Python Live (Mostly) in July 2014 because the comedian had difficulty learning his lines.
Monty Python’s Flying Circus first aired on BBC One in 1969 and was a popular comedy show amongst audiences.
The sketch show was written and performed by it’s members Michael, Terry, Graham Chapman, who died in 1989, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam and Eric Idle.
Elsewhere, the comedian and broadcaster recently opened up about his own health problems.
Michael took to his website back in July and revealed he is due to have surgery to fix a “leaky valve” in his heart.
The actor discovered a problem with his mitral valve – a small flap that stops blood flowing the wrong way around the heart – five years ago.
He wrote on his site: “Recently, though, I have felt my heart having to work harder and have been advised it’s time to have the valve repaired.
“I shall be undergoing surgery in September and should be back to normal, or rather better than normal, within three months.”
According to the NHS, a leaking mitral valve – known as mitral regurgitation – can cause dizziness, breathlessness, tiredness and chest pain, and can potentially lead to an irregular and fast heartbeat, high blood pressure and heart failure.
The Monty Python star was due to tour the UK in October but had to cancel his upcoming appearances.
Earlier in July, he finished another tour to promote his non-fiction book about HMS Erebus, a ship that voyaged to both the Arctic and Antarctic in the 19th Century.
The broadcaster was knighted in June and was recently announced as the executive producer on five new BBC Radio 4 programmes marking Monty Python’s 50th anniversary in October.
You can read the full interview with Sir Michael Palin in this week’s issue of Radio Times out now.
