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The Guardian World1 min read
'Very funny' statue of Monty Python's Terry Jones to be unveiled
TL;DR
A statue of Monty Python's Terry Jones will be unveiled in Colwyn Bay this weekend. The tribute features Jones as the nude organist, a character he portrayed in the comedy troupe's show.
Key points
- Statue commemorates Terry Jones in his birthplace
- Jones was a member of Monty Python and died in 2020
- Statue depicts Jones as the nude organist character
- Unveiling will take place in Colwyn Bay, north Wales
- Fellow Python members will attend the event
Mentioned in this story
Terry JonesSir Michael PalinTerry GilliamColwyn Bay
A statue commemorating the actor and writer Terry Jones will be unveiled in his birthplace this weekend.
Jones, best known for his part in the British comedy troupe Monty Python, died in 2020 aged 77 from a rare form of dementia.
His family backed a fundraising campaign to have him immortalised in bronze in Colwyn Bay as the nude organist, a recurring character played by Jones in Monty Python's Flying Circus TV show.
Jones' fellow Python, Sir Michael Palin, said the late star would find the tribute "very funny indeed".
Sir Michael and fellow Python Terry Gilliam will be at the unveiling of the statue overlooking Colwyn Bay beach in north Wales on Saturday.
The two other surviving Python members, John Cleese and Eric Idle, also supported the campaign.
"I'm quite surprised because we're a bit of a diverse lot. Nobody ever agrees on anything really, apart from what's funny, and we were always quite good at that," said Sir Michael.
Emma Thompson, Steve Coogan and Suzy Eddie Izzard were among the other celebrities who promoted the fundraising campaign, which attracted donations from around the world and hit its £120,000 target within six months.
Llandudno sculptor Nick Elphick, who regularly appears in the BBC series Extraordinary Portraits, created the design after consulting Jones' family.
He said the most challenging aspect was representing a larger than life character while making sure his smile was "just right for the family".
The life-sized sculpture shows the late star nude, wearing a flapping tie and with wild hair, grinning as he strikes the classic 'organist' pose.
The organ merges into Terry's writing desk, loaded with nods to his multi-faceted career.
It reflects his work beyond Python including his medieval history books.
"I'm a perfectionist so I'm never happy, but I know that I've put my heart and soul into it," said Elphick.
"I've done literally 15-hour days for nearly a year and a half now, so I'm hoping that people love him."
Jones performed in, co-wrote and directed two Monty Python films: The Life of Brian and The Meaning of Life.
He co-directed The Holy Grail with Gilliam and also co-wrote the series Ripping Yarns with Palin, who he first met at Oxford University.
Sir Michael remembered: "Terry was the faster typist, so he would do most of the typing. And come to think of it, he also made the coffee depending where we were working."
He said Jones "would be the last person in the world to want a statue of him" but would "make an exception" for this design as "I think he'd find it very funny indeed".
Although Jones and his family relocated to Surrey when he was four, he maintained links with Colwyn Bay, becoming patron of Theatr Colwyn and backing its renovation in 2011.
Q&A
When is the statue of Terry Jones being unveiled?
The statue of Terry Jones will be unveiled this Saturday.
What character does the statue of Terry Jones represent?
The statue represents Terry Jones as the nude organist, a recurring character from Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Who will attend the unveiling of Terry Jones' statue?
Sir Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam, both fellow Monty Python members, will attend the unveiling.
