Comedy show that broke the mould

Terry Jones was born in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, in 1942, moving to Claygate, Surrey, at the age of five.

At Oxford University he became involved in the theatre scene and met fellow Python-to-be Michael Palin, with whom he went on to write TV series Ripping Yarns.

The pair wrote and performed revues for the university’s theatre club.

Later, Jones worked on TV shows like The Frost Report, Do Not Adjust Your Set, Broaden Your Mind and The Complete And Utter History Of Britain.

TV history was created after Jones sat down at a tandoori restaurant in north London, in 1969 with Palin, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle and US animator Terry Gilliam to discuss working together on a new BBC comedy. They wanted to move away from the punchlines and structure of traditional sketch comedy.

Irreverent TV series Monty Python’s Flying Circus was born, making its debut late on a Sunday night on BBC One on October 5 1969, just before the weather bulletin.

Some 45 episodes of the show, with its surreal, stream-of-consciousness style, aired until 1974, and it snapped up Bafta awards.

He made his directorial debut, alongside Gilliam, with Monty Python And The Holy Grail in 1975.

Jones later directed Life Of Brian (1979), about a hapless man mistaken for Jesus.

The film was attacked as blasphemous but has since been voted the funniest of all time.

Jones also went on to direct The Meaning Of Life (1983), the Pythons’ last film together.

After the Pythons went their separate ways Jones directed Personal Services (1987), a fictional biopic starring Julie Walters and inspired by real-life madam Cynthia Payne.

He also went behind the camera for Erik The Viking ( 1989), based on his own children’s book.

His other credits include The Wind In The Willows (1996), with performances from Idle, Palin and Cleese, and 2015 comedy Absolutely Anything, as well as presenting documentaries.

In 2014, Jones took part in a reunion of the remaining Monty Python members.