Comedy genius Terry Jones is to be commemorated with a £120,000 statue which could depict the star in one of his most famous Monty Python disguises… the naked organist.
A fundraising appeal for the bronze statue, which is to be installed in Jones’ home town of Colwyn Bay in north Wales, was launched today by fellow Pythons Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam.
The statue will depict Jones as a character from the irreverent 1970s comedy series, and while the exact cast has yet to be chosen, the naked organist is considered a favorite among fans and even his close family.
Palin and Gilliam visited Colwyn Bay to officially launch the Go Fund Me campaign ‘A Python On The Prom’ – organised in partnership with Jones’ children, Sally and Bill Jones, and the Conwy Arts Trust, a Conwy-based charity that supports the arts in North Wales.
After strolling along the promenade to the city’s new pier, near where the statue is to be placed, Palin said of the organist’s suggestion: “So many statues are boring and serious. This would make people smile.”
Terry Jones as the naked organist. A fundraiser for the bronze statue, which is to be installed in Jones’ hometown of Colwyn Bay in North Wales, was launched today. The naked organist is considered a favourite with fans and even his close family
Michael Palin with Terry Jones at the 2013 BAFTAs. A fundraiser for the statue was launched by Palin and fellow Python Terry Gilliam
Jones’ hometown is Colwyn Bay in North Wales. The statue is set to be installed on the town’s famous promenade
He added: “It was a great Terry character and it would fit perfectly with Terry’s spirit. He wouldn’t mind showing his butt to the world. He did and it was very funny.”
“The idea that it’s outdoors, (near) the beach, is where it should be.
“Terry really appreciated his Welsh background, it greatly influenced his work and his determination.
“I think his Welsh background gave him a sense of entitlement. I just hope Terry becomes an icon and a focal point for Colwyn Bay and Wales.”
Gilliam echoed calls for the naked organist to be seen by thousands of visitors and locals on the seafront.
He smiled and added, “We plant seeds of humor wherever we can in the world.”
And Jones’ daughter Sally Jones, who also attended the launch, said: “I’d love to see the organist naked. He’s one of my all-time favourite characters because he was the most ridiculous when I was a kid.”
The fundraising campaign for the statue has the support of all remaining Pythons, as well as many of Jones’ friends and fans.
Palin and Gilliam (pictured) visited Colwyn Bay to officially launch the Go Fund Me campaign ‘A Python On The Prom’
Jones, whose famous characters also included Sir Bedevere, Mr Creosote and Mrs Scum, died in 2020 aged 77 after a battle with dementia. His long-time friend Palin described him at the time as “much more than one of the funniest singer-songwriters of his generation”.
Famous names supporting the call for the statue include actor and writer Steve Coogan, Taskmaster’s Alex Horne, actor Sanjeev Bhaskar, astrophysicist Professor Brian Cox, musician and presenter Cerys Matthews, French actor and director Abert Dupontel, British cellist Steven Isserlis and Simon Fanshawe, writer, activist and broadcaster.
The bronze statue will be created by highly regarded Llandudno-based sculptor Nick Elphick and aims to “celebrate Jones not only as a comedic genius, but also as a historian, writer and film director”.
An Oxford graduate, Jones, who was born in Colwyn Bay in 1942, was a patron of the town’s Colwyn Theatre for many years – and locals hope the statue will attract hordes of Python fans to the town.
Jones, whose famous characters also included Sir Bedevere, Mr Creosote and Mrs Scum, died in 2020 aged 77 after a battle with dementia. His long-time friend Palin described him at the time as “much more than one of the funniest singer-songwriters of his generation”.
Dilwyn Price, chairman of Conwy Arts Trust, said of the statue appeal: “This is an incredible project and long overdue.
“(Jones) was very generous with his time and commitment to the promotion of theatre. His family’s association with theatre goes back to the 1930s. Colwyn Bay gave Terry to the world and he gave a lot back to the town.”
Ricki Owen, Mayor of Colwyn Bay, said: “We hope the statue will attract more people to Colwyn Bay and recognise Terry’s contribution to the town and honour his memory.”
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