Sir Michael Palin has spoken of his wife Helen's "humour and practical good sense" following her death aged 80.

Helen Gibbins died peacefully in the early hours of Tuesday morning (May 9), her grieving husband said.

Monty Python star Sir Michael, who lives in Gospel Oak, wrote on his website that Helen, whom he met while still a teenager, had been suffering from chronic pain and kidney failure.

He described her as “the bedrock of my life” and asked for privacy while their family grieves.

Sir Michael met Helen 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 share three children and four grandchildren.

“My dearest wife Helen died peacefully in the early hours of Tuesday morning,” Sir Michael wrote. 

“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 16 and we married in our early 20s.”

Noting that the pair had celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary two and a half weeks ago, Sir Michael added:

“Her death is an indescribable loss for myself, our three children and four grandchildren.

“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.”

Laura Noel, chair of the Camden Bereavement Service (CCIWBS), paid tribute to her "friend and colleague", saying she was the "backbone" of the charity.

Helen joined the charity in 1990 and served at the heart of its bereavement counselling service for more than 30 years.

Laura said: "Helen was remarkable in that she could and would turn her hand to anything that needed doing at the service,  from changing light ulbs to working as a Trustee on the Board where she became a director in October 2010. 

"But beyond anything she was a wonderful counsellor and helped so many clients over several decades. Despite her later ill health she only stopped work as a counsellor in 2022 and finally resigned as a trustee in March this year."

Helen joined Camden Bereavement Service when there were only a handful of counsellors, Laura said.

She was central to the development the service, which overcame a number of setbacks to become an essential part of mental health support in Camden and Islington. 

The service was incorporated as a charity in its own right in 1998 and the work supporting bereaved people has been significantly enabled by donations and particularly by generous long term financial support from Helen’s husband Michael.

Laura added: "Helen had a deep and unwavering commitment to our Bereavement Service and fulfilled so many roles as counsellor, assessor, office worker, trustee, advocate and hands-on fundraiser. 

"She was also a dear friend to staff members and counsellors and they have spoken of how practical and down to earth she was, yet also professional and compassionate with “quiet wisdom” and humour when needed. 

"Helen had an understated trademark look as a slim figure in jeans or black trousers and black top with silver chains and I can imagine her now listening to clients in her special counselling room 4.

"Helen has been the backbone of Camden Bereavement service for many years and she will be sorely missed by us all. She will live on in our memories and in the memories of those bereaved clients she worked with over the years. 

"Our condolences to her family and we feel her passing is a great loss to this service and all who knew her."