Michael Palin wells up as he remembers 'wonderful companion' Terry Jones

Michael Palin was brought to tears as he reflected on the death of his friend and colleague Terry Jones who has died at the age of 77 following a battle with dementia.

In a filmed interview with the BBC in the wake of Jones' death, the Monty Python spoke fondly of the comedian as a "wonderful companion" whose opinion he valued "more than any other".

Becoming visibly emotional in the video, Palin, 76, shared: "I shall miss the sociable Terry - sorry - I just miss putting my arm around him and having a drink.

Read more: Terry Jones’ best lines from Monty Python

"He was just a wonderful companion, a terrific man and I shall miss our trips to the bar, I'll miss our pints and I shall miss our sessions putting the world to rights."

Palin and Jones first met at Oxford University in 1962 before performing together for the first time at the Edinburgh Festival in 1964.

Jones is the second of the original six Monty Python stars to have passed away, following on from Graham Chapman's 1989 death.

John Cleese joked there were now "two down and four to go" as he paid tribute to Jones yesterday.

He tweeted: "Just heard about Terry J. It feels strange that a man of so many talents and such endless enthusiasm, should have faded so gently away...

"Of his many achievements, for me the greatest gift he gave us all was his direction of 'Life of Brian'. Perfection.

"Two down, four to go."

While fellow Python Eric Idle wrote: "I loved him the moment I saw him on stage at the Edinburgh Festival in 1963. So many laughs, moments of total hilarity onstage and off we have all shared with him.

"It’s too sad if you knew him, but if you didn’t you will always smile at the many wonderfully funny moments he gave us."

Terry Gilliam also added to the tributes, writing: "HE WAS A VERY NAUGHTY BOY!!...and we miss you. Terry was someone totally consumed with life.. a brilliant, constantly questioning, iconoclastic, righteously argumentative and angry but outrageously funny and generous and kind human being."

Jones is survived by his second wife Anna Söderström and their daughter Siri, as well as a son and daughter from his first marriage to Alison Telfer, Bill and Sally.