Latest news with #Palin
New York Post
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Monty Python' star Michael Palin, 82, details his will plans after losing wife: ‘I do think about death'
Sir Michael Palin has plans in place for his inevitable death. The 82-year-old star of the British comedy troupe Monty Python revealed that he's organized his will and instructed his loved ones on what to do when he dies following his wife's passing in 2023. Speaking on the podcast 'On the Marie Curie Couch,' Palin got real about his end-of-life arrangements, noting that losing his significant other has helped his family be more open about the end. 15 Michael Palin attends the world premiere of the 'Ocean with David Attenborough' documentary. REUTERS 'I do think about death, and the family are rather wonderful about it: 'Have you made a will? Can I be in your will?'' the English comedian shared on Wednesday's episode of the podcast 'On the Marie Curie Couch.' 'I've made my will and all that. My family, my children, know where to find what they need to find should I die,' he added. Palin made sure to note that he still finds the humor in his demise by revealing each of his three children — Thomas, 56, William, 54, and Rachel, 50 — has his passwords 'in case I get run over by a bus.' 15 Michael Palin lost his wife of over 50 years in 2023. JA / BACKGRID 15 The comedian noted that his wife's death has made his family more open about his last years. AFP/Getty Images The actor and writer lost his wife, Helen Gibbins, in 2023 to chronic kidney disease. Palin, himself, has also gone through his own health battle. In 2019, he underwent heart surgery to repair a mitral valve and shared how the experience made him more aware of his body. 'However fit you are, anything might happen,' Palin explained on the podcast. 'But I don't dwell on mortality. I dwell on life.' 15 Actor/Writer John Cleese, actress Jamie Lee Curtis, writer Michael Palin and wife Helen Gibbins attend 'A Fish Called Wanda' in 1988. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 15 John Cleese, Michael Palin and Graham Chapman in 'Life of Brian.' ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection 15 Michael Palin in the 1979 flick 'The Life of Brian.' ©Orion Pictures Corp/Courtesy Everett Collection While he stays active with work, the comedian noted that at 82, he's older than any of his other male relatives in the last 200 years. However, he still feels his age at times. 'I kid myself that I'm going to be alright, and yet I know that I won't because you feel tired at certain times. You're slightly unsteady as you get out of bed, and you think, what's happening? Well, the old car's getting a bit rusty,' the star shared. 15 Michael Palin and Helen Gibbins in London on January 28, 1997. Mirrorpix via Getty Images 15 Michael Palin, Eric Idle and Carol Cleveland in Monty Python's 'The Meaning of Life.' ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection Palin also said that undergoing heart surgery 'saved my life, really.' He explained: 'And so I've been through that, which I think is quite important – to know that your body is vulnerable. And the older you get, the more vulnerable it is.' The legendary funnyman, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019, opened up about his wife's death during the interview, too. 15 Rear from left: Michael Palin, Eric Idle, front from left: Graham Chapman as King Arthur, Terry Jones in 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail.' Courtesy Everett Collection 15 Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin, John Cleese, Eric Idle, John Oliver, and Terry Jones pose for a photo backstage at the 'Monty Python And The Holy Grail' special screening in 2015. Stephen Lovekin 15 Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam in 1971. The pair wed in 1966 and were married for 57 years when she passed away two years ago. Palin admitted, 'There was a time when I didn't think it was going to get better. I thought, gosh, it's just going to be poignant days. I'm going to break into tears every now and then.' However, he shared, 'It does get better and it does adjust. And after two years now I feel I could think of Helen. I'm surrounded by her anyway. I've got photos. 15 Another image of John Cleese, actress Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Palin and Helen Gibbins at 'A Fish Called Wanda' premiere. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 'I haven't got rid of anything to do with her. The family embody what she was to them and that's all made it much, much easier.' Calling losing the love of his life 'a sucker punch,' Palin said no one can predict the future. 'You absolutely don't know,' he reflected. 'You just don't know what's going to happen or how you're going to feel or how you're going to react.' 15 Eric Idle, John Cleese and Michael Palin in 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail.' Python Pictures. Courtesy: Everett Collection. 15 Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones in 'Monty Python's Flying Circus.' When asked how he'd like to be remembered in life, Palin replied, 'I don't want to feel that I've been exalted on any sort of pinnacle in any shape or form.' He credited his late wife for keeping his ego in check. 'Helen was very strong on that… She was obviously pleased that I had been successful at certain things, but didn't go on about it a lot. She was far more interested in whether I was going to be able to mend the tyre on the car,' he said. Palin shared a silly example of their marriage dynamic, reminiscing about calling her from 12,000 feet in the air while filming in Tibet. 15 The Monty Python Troupe (1969) Bottom Row (l to r): Terry Jones, John Cleese, Michael Palin Top Row (l to r): Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam. 'I remember ringing up from the middle of the Tibetan Plateau,' he said. 'And I'm saying, 'Guess where I am?' She says, 'Well, I don't care where you are. Where's the plumber's number? The bathroom boiler's gone and it's making a terrible hissing noise.'' He noted that by the end of their conversation, 'I hadn't told her anything about the magnificent landscape… So there we are. That's sort of what life is, and I think that's what death is as well.'
Daily Record
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Sir Michael Palin's sad update as he says he is preparing for the end of his life
Sir Michael Palin shared a heartbreaking update on his life and next steps as he gets older Sir Michael Palin announced he has made preparations for the end of his life. In a new interview, the Monty Python star opened up about his will and how his kids "know where to find what they need to find should I die". The 83-year-old candidly spoke about the heartbreaking loss of his wife, Helen who passed away in 2023. Speaking about their relationship and life together, he stated: "Helen and I met on holiday in 1959. I was about 16 at the time. It was a holiday romance that built up to a long marriage. There was always a feeling that we were a unit – I hadn't really realised until that after she'd died." He continued: "That was a difficult thing: there was half of your life gone. I still say 'We've got in our garden', 'We have two grandchildren'. "I still use the 'we'. I find it almost impossible to say 'I am'." Speaking on the Marie Curie Couch podcast, he explained that Helen had been in pain for several years following a knee replacement before a "number of different things were diagnosed". He explained: "She had some problems with her heart. The gradual withdrawal from life was something I think she found very, very difficult; she was a gregarious person and full of fun. In the end, she was diagnosed with kidney failure. Then she got pneumonia and we went into hospital. We had a pretty bad experience there." Michael went on to say that the care Helen received at a Marie Curie hospice had made a big difference in her happiness, sharing that Helen was happier during the last few days of her life than she had been in the previous six years, the Mirror reports. The TV star has three children with his late wife - William, Rachel and Thomas. Speaking about his children and his death, he admitted: "I do think about death and the family are rather wonderful about it. "I've made my will and all that. My family, my children, know where to find what they need to find should I die." Michael shared that he doesn't think about dying or fear it, instead he lives for each day but admitted he is often "slightly unsteady" on his feet some days. He stated: "I'm 82 now, which is longer than any Palin male has lived for 200 years. I keep fit and I'm working, fortunately, and doing some quite difficult stuff, filming and all that. "I kid myself that I'm going to be alright, and yet I know that I won't because you feel tired at certain times. You're slightly unsteady as you get out of bed, and you think, what's happening? Well, the old car's getting a bit rusty." Michael had previously undergone open heart surgery back in 2019, and admitted that Helen's passing had helped the whole family speak more openly about death, something which he was discouraged from doing as a kid.
New York Post
20-07-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Bristol Palin says her facial paralysis struck ‘completely out of the blue' with no warning signs
Bristol Palin is giving fans an update on her ongoing health struggle. During an Instagram Q&A, Palin was asked specific questions about how she is dealing with her battle with facial paralysis and what specific symptoms she felt prior to experiencing the weakness in her facial muscles. 'I woke up and it was paralyzed completely out of the blue – no warning, wasn't sick didn't get the v@x, no recent Botox … just paralyzed,' she said in response to one question asking about what symptoms she felt. The answer was posted over a video of herself showing the difference between the left and right sides of her face, adding a timestamp of January 20, 2025. The former reality TV star was later asked how she is handling the diagnosis emotionally, to which she replied she thinks she is 'handling it well,' but admitted 'I can't look at pictures of myself rn.' Palin also shared her paralysis is 'probably 70% back to normal.' Other fans shared concern that the paralysis could be permanent, to which Palin replied there is a possibility, 'but I don't think it will be.' 'It is slowly improving,' she wrote in her response. 'My doctor thinks it will be another 3 months before I'm *hopefully* back to normal.' Palin first announced she was experiencing sudden facial paralysis on her Instagram stories in January. 3 Bristol Palin told fans she woke up with part of her face 'paralyzed completely' in January 2025. bsmp2/Instagram 3 Palin doesn't think the facial paralysis will be permanent. bsmp2/Instagram In the story, she recalled waking up one morning 'with a little weird sensation in my face,' and after only a few hours, 'the entire left side of my face was numb and just paralyzed.' After seeing a doctor and undergoing multiple tests, 'nothing came back in all the results' and she was prescribed 'steroids' and 'other medications' at the time. One of the possible causes could be 'a case of Bell's palsy,' which doctors noted could have been brought on by stress or lack of sleep. 3 Palin's doctors do not know what caused her facial paralysis. Getty Images Bell's palsy is a condition that causes 'sudden weakness in the muscles on one side of the face,' according to the Mayo Clinic. The weakness is typically short-term, and the exact cause is unknown. A few months after sharing her struggles with facial paralysis, Palin took to social media in April 2025 to share that she was one year sober. '365 days without alcohol.. *which sounds dramatic because I've never been a big 'drinker,'' she wrote on her Instagram story, per the Daily Mail. 'But this year of having a completely sober mind has allowed me to reevaluate a lot,' she continued. 'I don't want to alter the state of my mind, and don't want to 'take the edge off' of anything. 10/10 would recommend.'
RTÉ News
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Michael Palin: 'I feel less grief now'
Michael Palin has said he feels less grief now, two years on from the death of his wife. The 82-year-old Monty Python star announced in May 2023 that his wife of 57 years, Helen Gibbins, had died after suffering from chronic pain and kidney failure. The couple met on a beach in Suffolk when he was still a teenager. In an interview with Saga magazine, Palin said: "I can see why people say it takes two years or so before your response gradually changes. "It becomes less about loss and more about the spirit of that person being around, so that's very nice. "I feel less grief now, and more that I've got to keep on doing things, looking after the children we made together. "I talk to myself as if she's there. I'll show some spectacular bit of incompetence that I know she would have found funny, then I'll hear myself saying something in the way she would have said it and I'll laugh, even though I'm the only one there. "Imagining her being there makes me laugh." Palin met his future wife while holidaying in the seaside town of Southwold, Suffolk, and later fictionalised the encounter in a 1987 TV drama for the BBC titled East Of Ipswich. The couple had three children and four grandchildren, and celebrated their wedding anniversary just two-and-a-half weeks before Ms Gibbins' death. Palin told the magazine he has not had counselling or therapy. "I know myself quite well. I'd like to work it out myself, if I can," he said. Palin added: "I get dark days, when you feel a bit down and wonder what you're going to do on a cold autumn Sunday on your own, but I factor that in. "I know I'm going to feel her loss at certain times. The family have been my bereavement counsellors really. "Fortunately, the three children all live quite close. You might see pagodas, volcanoes and waterfalls all round the world, but what's really important is who comes round for dinner on a Sunday." Speaking about whether he will find love again, Palin said: "We were a unit for so long. You can never begin to replace a relationship which lasted 60 years. "I'm OK living on my own, then I go off to Venezuela or somewhere. I'm not moping."
Time Business News
08-05-2025
- Time Business News
Discover South Korea's Natural Wonders One Trail at a Time: A Look at Erik Palin's Hiking South Korea
If you've ever dreamed of exploring the diverse landscapes of South Korea—from its tranquil coastal paths to its dramatic mountain ridges— Hiking South Korea: 88 Day Hikes from Sandy Beaches to Rocky Peaks by Erik Palin is your ultimate guide. This meticulously crafted book is much more than a collection of trail notes. It's an immersive, on-the-ground resource designed for anyone looking to experience the country's natural beauty, whether you're a seasoned hiker, a casual adventurer, or a traveler seeking a deeper connection with Korea's landscapes. What sets this guide apart is the sheer breadth and usability of the information it offers. Palin documents 88 distinct day hikes across South Korea, with routes that cater to a wide range of skill levels and interests. Whether you're craving a quiet walk along a forested trail or a full-day summit adventure with panoramic views, there's something here for you. Each hike includes detailed trail descriptions, difficulty ratings, distance and elevation gain, estimated hiking time, and tips on what to expect. The guide also features route markings, trailhead logistics, transportation options, and practical insights—making it exceptionally easy to plan your own hiking itinerary, even if you're new to Korea or hiking abroad for the first time. But this book isn't just about logistics; it's also rich with cultural and environmental context. Throughout the guide, Palin weaves in points of historical interest, natural highlights, and unique cultural tidbits that bring each trail to life. From ancient Buddhist temples nestled deep in the mountains to seaside cliffs dotted with wind-worn pines, each hike tells a story of South Korea's land and people. Some standout hikes include the dramatic ridgeline of Seoraksan National Park, the temple-studded paths of Bukhansan just outside Seoul, and the peaceful island trails of Geoje, where cliffs drop into turquoise waters and hikers are rewarded with views of passing ships and hidden beaches. Palin also guides readers through lesser-known gems like Jirisan's Banyabong Peak and the wildflower-strewn slopes of Hallasan on Jeju Island. This beautifully crafted hiking guide provides everything you need for your outdoor adventures in Korea. Each hike itinerary includes an illustrative map, GPS coordinates, hike duration, distance, elevation, terrain, difficulty level, accessibility notes, and descriptions of special features. The book also includes expert advice on safety, climate, packing tips, and a glossary of useful Korean phrases—making it an indispensable companion for every level of hiker. Author Erik Palin brings a personal touch to every page. A native of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Erik hadn't even seen a hill until a Boy Scout trip to Vermont at age 14. He didn't begin hiking until his deployment to Korea, but since then, he has spent over eight years exploring its trails and over twenty years living in Asia. A veteran of the maritime and offshore oil and gas industries, he balances his time in shipyards with hikes alongside his wife, Jozefina, and their four daughters. His hiking experience extends beyond Korea, with favorite trails in Japan, Taiwan, Nepal, New Zealand, Slovakia, Tasmania, and California's Sierra Nevada. With stunning full-color photography, expertly crafted maps, and a deep appreciation for the natural and cultural heritage of Korea, Hiking South Korea is as practical as it is inspiring. More than just a guide, this book is a testament to the transformative power of the outdoors. From Erik's first hilltop experience in Vermont to his countless adventures across the Korean peninsula, Hiking South Korea reflects a lifelong journey of discovery, family, and connection with nature. It's ideal for expats, travelers, nature lovers, and anyone eager to find peace and adventure on foot. Explore the trails and discover the soul of South Korea—one hike at a time. Buy the book on Amazon: Watch the book trailer: TIME BUSINESS NEWS
