Sir Michael Palin has paid tribute to his Monty Python costar, actor and comedian Terry Jones, who has died at the age of 77.
Palin, who performed with Jones in Monty Python, described Jones as “one of my closest, most valued friends” in a statement to the PA news agency.
“He was kind, generous, supportive and passionate about living life to the full.
“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.”
Jones’ agent confirmed the comedian’s death this morning. A statement from his family said: “We are deeply saddened to have to announce the passing of beloved husband and father, Terry Jones.
Monty Python – In pictures
1/34 Monty Python today
Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin, John Cleese, Eric Idle, John Oliver, and Terry Jones pose for a photo backstage at the “Monty Python And The Holy Grail” special screening during the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival at Beacon Theatre on 24 April 2015 in New York
Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images
2/34 Monty Python’s Flying Circus
Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969): The Dead Parrot Sketch with Michael Palin and John Cleese
BBC
3/34 Old girl
Terry Jones performs on the closing night of ‘Monty Python Live (Mostly)’ at The O2 Arena in 2914
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
4/34 Comedy troupe
Monty Python (1975) starring Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, John Cleese, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam
Python
5/34 Double act
Michael Palin and John Cleese perform on the closing night of ‘Monty Python Live (Mostly)’ at The O2 Arena on 20 July 2014 in London
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
6/34 Grumpy old man
Terry Gilliam performs on the closing night of ‘Monty Python Live (Mostly)’ at The O2 Arena in 2014
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
7/34 Head judge
Michael Palin and Eric Idle perform on the closing night of ‘Monty Python Live (Mostly)’ at The O2 Arena in 2914
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
8/34 Stage stars
Michael Palin performs on the closing night of ‘Monty Python Live (Mostly)’ at The O2 Arena in 2014
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
9/34 Hanging out
Terry Gilliam performs on the opening night of “Monty Python Live (Mostly)” in 2014
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
10/34 Stripping off
Michael Palin performs on the closing night of ‘Monty Python Live (Mostly)’ at The O2 Arena in 2014
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
11/34 Stage presence
Terry Jones, John Cleese and Terry Gilliam perform on the opening night of “Monty Python Live (Mostly)” in 2014
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
12/34 Sing it out
Michael Palin performs on the closing night of ‘Monty Python Live (Mostly)’ at The O2 Arena in 2014
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
13/34 Monty Python Live
Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin and Terry Jones perform on the opening night of “Monty Python Live (Mostly)” in 2014
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
14/34 On the red carpet
Director Ben Timlett, actors Michael Palin, Carol Cleveland, director Bill Jones, actor Terry Jones and director Jeff Simpson attend “A Liar’s Autobiography” premiere during the 56th BFI London Film Festival at the Empire Leicester Square on 16 October 2012 in London
Samir Hussein/Getty Images
15/34 Spamalot
David Hyde Pierce, Terry Jones, Mike Nichols, Michael Palin, Tim Curry and Eric Idle singing “Always Look On The Brighter Side Of Life” during the opening night curtain call for “Monty Python’s Spamalot” at the Shubert Theatre March 17, 2005 in New York
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
16/34 Hollywood Bowl
British comedy troupe Monty Python including (left to right) Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman (1941 – 1989), Terry Gilliam, and John Cleese, lounge about at the site of their filmed live show at the Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, California, 1982
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
17/34 Taking a break
British actors, writers and comedians Graham Chapman (1941 – 1989 ) and Michael Palin (in police uniform) sitting in armchairs on Westminster Bridge, London in 1974
Evening Standard
18/34 Serious reporting
The Monty Python team imitate journalist and broadcaster Alan Whicker. Left to right: John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman (1941 – 1989) and Terry Jones in 1971
Alan Howard/Getty Images
19/34 Group photo
Twenty years of Monty Python (1989) with Eric Idle, John Cleese, Graham Chapman , Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Glliam
BBC
20/34 Having a fumble
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983) with John Cleese
Universal Pictures
21/34 Tucking in
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983)
Universal Pictures
22/34 Very official
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983)
Universal Pictures
23/34 Playing dress up
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983) with Michael Palin, Terry Glliam and Eric Idle
Universal Pictures
24/34 Live on stage
Monty Python Live at The Hollywood Bowl (1982) starring Eric Idle and Michael Palin
20th Century Fox
25/34 Pontius Pilate
Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) with Michael Palin as Pontius Pilate
Python
26/34 Meaning of life
Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) with Eric Idle as Harry the Haggler, Terry Jones as Mandy Cohen and Graham Chapman as Brian Cohen
Python
27/34 Crucified
Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) with Eric Idle and Graham Chapman as Brian Cohen
Python
28/34 Brian Cohen
Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) with Graham Chapman as Brian Cohen
Python
29/34 The Killer Rabbit scene
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975): The Killer Rabbit scene
Python
30/34 Idle
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) with John Cleese and Eric Idle
Python
31/34 Knights in shining armour
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) with Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle and Graham Chapman
Python
32/34 On his lonesome
Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969) with John Cleese
BBC
33/34 Ministry of Silly Walks
Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969) with John Cleese
BBC
34/34 Back in the day
Monty Python (1969) starring Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, John Cleese, and Michael Palin
BBC
1/34 Monty Python today
Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin, John Cleese, Eric Idle, John Oliver, and Terry Jones pose for a photo backstage at the “Monty Python And The Holy Grail” special screening during the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival at Beacon Theatre on 24 April 2015 in New York
Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images
2/34 Monty Python’s Flying Circus
Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969): The Dead Parrot Sketch with Michael Palin and John Cleese
BBC
3/34 Old girl
Terry Jones performs on the closing night of ‘Monty Python Live (Mostly)’ at The O2 Arena in 2914
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
4/34 Comedy troupe
Monty Python (1975) starring Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, John Cleese, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam
Python
5/34 Double act
Michael Palin and John Cleese perform on the closing night of ‘Monty Python Live (Mostly)’ at The O2 Arena on 20 July 2014 in London
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
6/34 Grumpy old man
Terry Gilliam performs on the closing night of ‘Monty Python Live (Mostly)’ at The O2 Arena in 2014
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
7/34 Head judge
Michael Palin and Eric Idle perform on the closing night of ‘Monty Python Live (Mostly)’ at The O2 Arena in 2914
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
8/34 Stage stars
Michael Palin performs on the closing night of ‘Monty Python Live (Mostly)’ at The O2 Arena in 2014
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
9/34 Hanging out
Terry Gilliam performs on the opening night of “Monty Python Live (Mostly)” in 2014
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
10/34 Stripping off
Michael Palin performs on the closing night of ‘Monty Python Live (Mostly)’ at The O2 Arena in 2014
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
11/34 Stage presence
Terry Jones, John Cleese and Terry Gilliam perform on the opening night of “Monty Python Live (Mostly)” in 2014
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
12/34 Sing it out
Michael Palin performs on the closing night of ‘Monty Python Live (Mostly)’ at The O2 Arena in 2014
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
13/34 Monty Python Live
Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin and Terry Jones perform on the opening night of “Monty Python Live (Mostly)” in 2014
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
14/34 On the red carpet
Director Ben Timlett, actors Michael Palin, Carol Cleveland, director Bill Jones, actor Terry Jones and director Jeff Simpson attend “A Liar’s Autobiography” premiere during the 56th BFI London Film Festival at the Empire Leicester Square on 16 October 2012 in London
Samir Hussein/Getty Images
15/34 Spamalot
David Hyde Pierce, Terry Jones, Mike Nichols, Michael Palin, Tim Curry and Eric Idle singing “Always Look On The Brighter Side Of Life” during the opening night curtain call for “Monty Python’s Spamalot” at the Shubert Theatre March 17, 2005 in New York
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
16/34 Hollywood Bowl
British comedy troupe Monty Python including (left to right) Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman (1941 – 1989), Terry Gilliam, and John Cleese, lounge about at the site of their filmed live show at the Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, California, 1982
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
17/34 Taking a break
British actors, writers and comedians Graham Chapman (1941 – 1989 ) and Michael Palin (in police uniform) sitting in armchairs on Westminster Bridge, London in 1974
Evening Standard
18/34 Serious reporting
The Monty Python team imitate journalist and broadcaster Alan Whicker. Left to right: John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman (1941 – 1989) and Terry Jones in 1971
Alan Howard/Getty Images
19/34 Group photo
Twenty years of Monty Python (1989) with Eric Idle, John Cleese, Graham Chapman , Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Glliam
BBC
20/34 Having a fumble
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983) with John Cleese
Universal Pictures
21/34 Tucking in
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983)
Universal Pictures
22/34 Very official
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983)
Universal Pictures
23/34 Playing dress up
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983) with Michael Palin, Terry Glliam and Eric Idle
Universal Pictures
24/34 Live on stage
Monty Python Live at The Hollywood Bowl (1982) starring Eric Idle and Michael Palin
20th Century Fox
25/34 Pontius Pilate
Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) with Michael Palin as Pontius Pilate
Python
26/34 Meaning of life
Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) with Eric Idle as Harry the Haggler, Terry Jones as Mandy Cohen and Graham Chapman as Brian Cohen
Python
27/34 Crucified
Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) with Eric Idle and Graham Chapman as Brian Cohen
Python
28/34 Brian Cohen
Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) with Graham Chapman as Brian Cohen
Python
29/34 The Killer Rabbit scene
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975): The Killer Rabbit scene
Python
30/34 Idle
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) with John Cleese and Eric Idle
Python
31/34 Knights in shining armour
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) with Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle and Graham Chapman
Python
32/34 On his lonesome
Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969) with John Cleese
BBC
33/34 Ministry of Silly Walks
Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969) with John Cleese
BBC
34/34 Back in the day
Monty Python (1969) starring Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, John Cleese, and Michael Palin
BBC
“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.”
Stephen Fry paid tribute to Jones on Twitter, writing: “a great foot has come down to stamp on you”.
“My god what pleasure you gave, what untrammelled joy and delight. What a wonderful talent, heart and mind.”
Bafta also paid tribute to Jones, sharing a photo of the comedian receiving his Special Award for Outstanding Contribution to Film & Television from Palin at the 2016 Bafta Cymru Awards.
More stars shared their tributes on Twitter, with author David Walliams writing: “Thank you Terry for a lifetime of laughter.”
John Cleese wrote: “It feels strange that a man of so many talents and such endless enthusiasm, should have faded so gently away.”
Actor and comedian David Schneider described the news as a “punch to the gut”.
“Thanks for making us laugh so much, Terry.”
Others that tweeted tributes included Black Mirror writer Charlie Brooker, author Neil Gaiman and screenwriter Simon Blackwell.
Jones’ death comes just weeks after the death of Monty Python star Neil Innes, who died on 29 December aged 75.
Jones was an original member of Monty Python, and was responsible for getting them together.
He met writing partner Michael Palin while studying at Oxford University and they went on to write for British comedy shows together.
Jones is survived by his wife Anna, and children Bill, Sally, Siri.
