Who was Helen Palin; Michael Palin announces the heartbreaking loss of the long standing bedrock of his life

Helen Palin, the wife of beloved Monty Python member and intrepid traveller Michael Palin, has died following her battle with chronic pain and kidney failure. The actor, 79, disclosed the details on his website, writing “my dearest wife Helen died peacefully in the early hours of Tuesday morning.”

"She had been suffering with chronic pain for several years, which was compounded a few years ago by a diagnosis of kidney failure. We first met on a summer holiday on the Suffolk coast when we were both sixteen and we married in our early twenties. Two and a half weeks ago we celebrated our 57th wedding anniversary.”

"Her death is an indescribable loss for myself, our three children and four grandchildren” Palin wrote, referencing their children Thomas, 54, William, 52, and Rachel, 48.

In a sentiment that echoes that of Richard E Grant’s discussion of the loss of his wife, Joan, in 2021, Palin continued: "Helen was the bedrock of my life. Her quietly wise judgement informed all my decisions and her humour and practical good sense was at the heart of our life together. The family asks that their privacy be respected at this time."

Palin met his wife, Helen Gibbins, while they were both students at Oxford University in the early 1960s and were introduced to each other by a mutual friend, shortly dating soon after and marrying in 1966. They were both members of the university drama club, and they performed together in several productions

After graduating from Oxford, Palin and Gibbins moved to London together, where Palin began his career as a writer and performer. Helen worked as a television producer and director for the BBC, where she worked on a variety of programs including documentaries, dramas, and children's shows. She has also worked as a script editor and consultant for several productions including Eastenders, The Bill and Silent Witness.

Helen has been a major influence on Michael's career to his own credit and has often collaborated with him on his writing and creative projects, being credited as a co-writer on several of Michael's books, including Hemingway Adventure, Sahara and New Europe.

In addition to her work in television and writing, Helen is also a philanthropist and has been involved with several charitable organisations over the years, most notable a patronage with Michael of the Helen House hospice, which provides care for children with life-limiting illnesses and their families.