John Cleese’s gut-wrenching tribute to ‘perfect’ on-screen wife Prunella Scales
Comedy icon John Cleese has paid tribute to his Fawlty Towers spouse Prunella Scales after the actress’ death was announced on 28 October, aged 93
John Cleese branded Prunella “absolutely perfect”(Image: Rune Hellestad – Corbis, Corbis via Getty Images)
Prunella Scales‘ Fawlty Towers husband John Cleese has issued a touching seven-word message about his former co-star.
The BBC legend shared a heartfelt tribute after the news of her death on 28 October aged 93. The Monty Python legend branded his on-screen wife as “a really wonderful comic actress,” writing: “Scene after scene she was absolutely perfect.”
She was most famous for playing Sybil Fawlty in the comedy series and appeared alongside Cleese’s hotelier character Basil Fawlty. This year celebrated the series’ 50th anniversary, marking five decades since the iconic show first aired to BBC viewers.
Sybil was known for intervening at crucial moments to resolve Basil’s chaos as he battled to manage his Torquay hotel. The sitcom ran for 12 episodes from 1975 to 1979 and was written by Cleese and his then-wife Connie Booth, who played a maid named Polly.
John and Prunella played Basil and Sybil Fawlty(Image: Radio Times, Radio Times via Getty Images)
Following Prunella’s death, her son Samuel issued a statement to PA News agency: “Our darling mother Prunella Scales died peacefully at home in London yesterday. She was 93.”
“Although dementia forced her retirement from a remarkable acting career of nearly 70 years, she continued to live at home. We would like to thank all those who gave Pru such wonderful care at the end of her life: her last days were comfortable, contented and surrounded by love,” reports the Express.
Prunella was forced to step back from acting due to her health(Image: TPLP, Getty Images)
She died just 11 months after her husband Timothy West, to whom she was wed for more than 60 years. Following her dementia diagnosis in 2013 West devoted himself to caring for the Fawlty Towers actress.
Reflecting on their marriage in 2023, West remarked about Scales’s condition: “Somehow we have coped with it and Pru doesn’t really think about it. I miss Pru’s companionship as my best friend. She doesn’t have much awareness of time so when she joins me, her face lights up as if we’ve been apart for days.”
Scales died just shy of a year after her husband Timothy West passed(Image: Getty)
“The look on her face makes me realise how much I love her. She seems to manage incredibly well with things, as I try to, but surely she must sometimes wonder whether she is going to be allowed to end her days in this house that has been so dear to us. Not recognising me hasn’t been a problem but it will come, I’m sure.”
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