Sir Michael Palin, 75, reveals he accidentally set fire to his house while resting after heart surgery… and was pulled to safety by his 86-year-old neighbour
- The Monty Python legend, 76, was recuperating at home after open-heart surgery in September to repair two valves
- The comedian was told to relax for three months but this didn’t go quite according to plan after he set his kitchen ablaze
- A piece of kitchen paper caught fire on the gas and an 86-year-old neighbour who had recently had a sextuple bypass had to pull Sir Michael from the window
Sir Michael Palin has revealed he accidentally set fire to his house while he was relaxing following his recent heart surgery.
The Monty Python legend, 76, was recuperating at home after open-heart surgery in September to repair two valves.
The comedian was told to relax for three months but this didn’t go quite according to plan after he set his kitchen ablaze.
Lucky escape: Michael Palin, 76, revealed he set his kitchen on fire while recovering at home from heart surgery (pictured May 2019)
A piece of kitchen paper caught fire on the gas and an 86-year-old neighbour who had recently had a sextuple by-pass had to pull Sir Michael from the window of the burning room.
Writing in Idler Magazine , the TV personality said he initially tried to smother the flames with a hand towel but this only made things worse.
He said: ‘As flames licked up towards the ceiling, I dialed the emergency services – but the moment we connected, the smoke alarm went off and I couldn’t hear a word they were saying.
Rest and recuperation: The Monty Python star had open heart surgery to repair two valves in September (pictured January 2020)
‘Just caught something about washing my hands which made me realise that, without my glasses on, I’d rung 111 instead of 999.
‘But I washed my hands anyway, and by a fantastic stroke of luck, the loose tap that we never had fixed finally came apart, dousing the ceiling and partially extinguishing the fire.’
Sir Michael said his elderly neighbour then came to his aid and pulled him to safety through the window.
The TV presenter previously said his heart surgery has left him feeling like a ‘one previous owner Golf GTI’ instead of an ‘old Ford Anglia’.
Tribute: Michael Palin dedicated his Special Recognition Award to his late friend Terry Jones during January’s National Television Awards
He has made few public appearances since the surgery but attended this year’s National Television Awards where he received the Special Recognition Award in January.
Sir Michael was emotional as he dedicated the award to his Monty Python co-star Terry Jones who had died earlier the previous week.
After calling the prize a ‘terrific honour,’ Sir Michael paid tribute to his close friend.
He said: ‘I want to dedicate this award tonight to someone who taught me more about television than anyone else, my dear friend and Python, Terry Jones.
‘Anyone who knows or who has worked with Terry will have been infected by his enthusiasm.’
‘Tragic: Monty Python star Jones (pictured left alongside Palin) died at the age of 77 with his wife by his side after battling a rare form of dementia that robbed him of his speech