Sir Michael Palin sobbed as he paid tribute to his late friend Terry Jones, and said losing him was like ‘losing a limb’.
The actor and presenter last night gave an emotional TV interview about Jones, who died on Tuesday aged 77 after a long battle with dementia.
Sir Michael described his fellow Monty Python star as ‘one of the funniest writer-performers of his generation’ and said he will miss his ‘putting his arm around his wonderful companion.’
In a BBC interview last night, the star choked back tears as he added: ‘I shall miss the sociable Terry – sorry – I just miss putting my arm around him and having a drink.
‘He was just a wonderful companion, a terrific man and I shall miss our trips to the bar, I’ll miss our pints and I shall miss our sessions putting the world to rights.’
Last night Jones’ wife, Anna Söderström, 37, also shared a heartfelt tribute as she posted a picture of them together with the caption, ‘Happier times. RIP my love.’
Jones in what is believed to be his last picture. Last May, his friend Michael Palin shared the picture of the pair online, saying: ‘Moving moment with Terry J.’ He described how during a visit to Jones’s home in London, he read from Dr Fegg’s Encyclopeadia of All World Knowledge, a ‘compendium of humorous facts’ they wrote together in 1985
Jones’ wife, Anna Söderström, 37, also shared a heartfelt tribute as she posted a picture of them together
The duo met at Oxford University in 1962 before going on to perform together for the first time at the Edinburgh Festival in 1964. Pictured, Sir Michael’s tribute yesterday
In his emotional interview, Sir Michael recalled how he and Jones met at Oxford University in 1962 before going on to perform together for the first time at the Edinburgh Festival in 1964.
He added: ‘It’s sort of like losing a limb, you know, I’ve known Terry since I met him at university in 1962…and were inseparable for many many years after that, and through the Python times.
‘And even in the last few years when Terry was doing his thing I was doing my thing, we would still meet up. We were very close friends and I valued Terry’s opinion probably more than any other; he was very, very astute.’
He also revealed how Jones made his characters personable and charming, adding his own unique flair to his work.
‘Terry didn’t do private particularly; Terry was a very warm man, he’d talk to you about absolutely anything so what you see in the characters that he plays – that slightly manic but always rather warm and enthusiastic characters that he used to play – are very much Terry.’
Sir Michael sobbed as he added: ‘He was the most wonderful friend and just a terrific person to be with, and I wont be the only person who says this – he had an enormous number of friends who loved him dearly.
The star choked back tears as he added: ‘I shall miss the sociable Terry – sorry – I just miss putting my arm around him and having a drink
In his emotional interview, Sir Michael recalled how he and Jones met at Oxford University in 1962 before going on to perform together for the first time at the Edinburgh Festival in 1964
Terry Jones (right) with Michael Palin holding his Fellowship Award at the Arqiva British Academy Television Awards, 2013
Terry Jones (right) with Michael Palin at the Times BFI London Film Festival screening of ‘The Brothers Grimm’, London, 2005
Terry Jones, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and Eddie Izzard dressed as Gumbies for a sketch for ‘Python Night’ in 1999
Former Monty Python stars John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Carol Cleveland and Terry Gilliam attending a charity screening of their film Life Of Brian at London’s Leicester Square to celebrate their 30th anniversary in 1999
Terry Jones and Michael Palin Arqiva British Academy Television Awards, show, Royal Festival Hall, London in 2013
Eric Idle, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin and Terry Jones from Monty Python at a photocall before a series of live performances at the O2 Arena. Jones, who had dementia, has died at the age of 77
Sir Michael described Jones as ‘one of the funniest writer-performers of his generation’.
He added: ‘Terry was one of my closest, most valued friends. 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.’
Jones entered a relationship with Anna Söderström, then a 23-year-old modern languages student at Oxford whom he had met at a book signing, in 2005.
He left his wife of 26 years, biochemist Alison Telfer, and he and Söderström went on to have a daughter, Siri, in 2009.
Anna yesterday tweeted a picture of herself alongside her husband and daughter.