An emotional Sir Michael Palin dedicated his Special Recognition Award to his late friend Terry Jones during Tuesday night’s National Television Awards.
Monty Python star Terry died last Tuesday at the age of 77 with his wife by his side, after battling a rare form of dementia that robbed him of his speech.
The actor and comedian directed some of the comedy troupe’s most-loved works, including Life Of Brian.
Tribute: Michael Palin dedicated his Special Recognition Award to his late friend Terry Jones during Tuesday night’s National Television Awards
Fellow Python star Michael, who tweeted after the news that his fellow comic was ‘kind, generous, supportive and passionate about living life to the full,’ took to the stage to receive the Special Recognition Award.
After calling the prize a ‘terrific honour,’ Sir Michael paid tribute to his close friend.
He said: ‘I want to dedicate this award tonight to someone who taught me more about television than anyone else, my dear friend and Python, Terry Jones.
‘Anyone who knows or who has worked with Terry will have been infected by his enthusiasm.’
‘Tragic: Monty Python star Jones (pictured left alongside Palin) died last Tuesday at the age of 77 with his wife by his side after battling a rare form of dementia that robbed him of his speech
In his tweet last week, Sir Michael added that Terry was one of his ‘closest friends’.
He said: ‘Terry was one of my closest, most valued friends. He was far more than one of the funniest writer-performers of his generation, he was the complete Renaissance comedian – writer, director, presenter, historian, brilliant children’s author, and the warmest, most wonderful company you could wish to have.
‘I feel very fortunate to have shared so much of my life with him and my heart goes out to Anna, Alison and all his family.’
Touching: Fellow Python star Sir Michael, who tweeted after the news that his fellow comic was ‘kind, generous, supportive and passionate about living life to the full,’ lamented his death
Terry Gilliam described Jones as a ‘brilliant, constantly questioning, iconoclastic, righteously argumentative and angry but outrageously funny and generous and kind human being’, adding: ‘One could never hope for a better friend.’
A message from the official Monty Python Twitter account read: ‘Farewell dear Terry J. Two down, four to go. Love Terry G, Mike, John & Eric.’
In 2016 it was announced that Jones had been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia, a rare form of frontotemporal dementia where symptoms get progressively worse over time.
Winner: Sir Michael posed in the winners room after collection the award, which recognised his outstanding career
Legend: ‘Anyone who knows or who has worked with Terry will have been infected by his enthusiasm,’ Palin said
Fellow Python star John Cleese, 80, also said: ‘It feels strange that a man of so many talents and such endless enthusiasm, should have faded so gently away.
‘Of his many achievements, for me the greatest gift he gave us all was his direction of Life of Brian. Perfection.’ He added: ‘Two down, four to go.’
And Python actor Eric Idle said that he loved Terry Jones ‘the moment I saw him on stage at the Edinburgh Festival in 1963’ and recalled the ‘many laughs, moments of total hilarity onstage and off we have all shared with him’.
Legendary: The actor and comedian directed some of the comedy troupe’s most-loved works, including Life Of Brian (Jones is pictured right in the film). Eric Idle, Michael Palin, John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Terry Gilliam also starred in the film
Jones’ family revealed the news of his passing. A statement said: ‘We are deeply saddened to have to announce the passing of beloved husband and father, Terry Jones.
‘Terry passed away on the evening of 21 January 2020 at the age of 77 with his wife Anna Soderstrom by his side after a long, extremely brave but always good humoured battle with a rare form of dementia, FTD.
‘Over the past few days his wife, children, extended family and many close friends have been constantly with Terry as he gently slipped away at his home in North London.’
Family: Terry Jones with his wife Anna Soderstrom and child Siri at the Ham Yard Hotel in London in 2015. Jones had two children with Alison Telfer, who he married in 1970, and became a father again, at the age of 67, with second wife Ms Soderstrom (pictured here alongside Jones)
