My pain over Python’s dementia

The impact of dementia on Monty Python star Terry Jones has been “painful to watch”, his friend and fellow actor Michael Palin has said.

Jones, 74, who directed Monty Python’s Life of Brian and Monty Python’s The Meaning of Li fe, and co-directed Monty Python and the Holy Grail with Terry Gilliam, is suffering from primary progressive aphasia, which affects his ability to communicate.

Pal in and Jones were members of the famous comedy team, which also included John Cleese, Terry Gil l iam, Eric Id le and Graham Chapman.

Jones wrote and directed many of the group’s bestloved works.

In a moving post on Facebook, Palin said the impact on Jones’s ability to speak is “the cruellest thing that could befall someone to whom words, ideas, arguments, jokes and stories were once the stuff of life”.

“The progress of his dementia has been painful to watch.”

Palin added: “Not that Terry is out of circulation.

“He spends time with his family and only two days ago I met up with him for one of our regular meals at his local pub.

“Terry doesn’t say very much but he smiles, laughs, recognises and responds, and I’m always pleased to see him. Long may that last.”

News of Jones’s illness was announced on Tuesday as Bafta Cymru announced he had been given a special award for outstanding contribution to film and TV.