Michael Palin reveals his late wife Helen’s clothes are ‘still in the cupboard’ over a year after her death to make it feel like she’s ‘still here’

Michael Palin has heartbreakingly admitted that his late wife Helen Gibbins’ clothes are still “in the closet” because they make him feel “she’s still here”.

The 81-year-old Monty Python star announced on May 2 last year that Helen had sadly passed away from chronic pain and kidney failure, just weeks after they celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary.

He described her as “the cornerstone of my life” and said her death was an “indescribable loss” for himself and their three children – Thomas, 55, William, 53, and Rachel, 49.

And now, more than a year after his painful loss, Michael has shared how he loves seeing her things in their home because it reminds him of the time they spent together. The star added that it’s the reason he’ll never move.

In an interview with The TimesMichael said about the possibility of moving: ‘I don’t feel that way – at least right now. Everything around me has a story or something that reminds me of the time we spent together, not in a sentimental way. They’re just the props of your life. Take away all those props and I’d be in a different play, playing a different character. And I don’t want that.

The 81-year-old Monty Python star revealed that Helen had sadly passed away on May 2 last year after a battle with chronic pain and kidney failure, just weeks after they celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary. [pictured in 2015]

“I know it sounds strange, but I pretend Helen is still here. Her clothes are still in the closets. I don’t want to change my life because I don’t think she would want me to either. It’s still a nice home to come back to. I feel her presence here.”

The childhood sweethearts met at age 16 and married in 1966. They celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary, just weeks before Helen passed away.

Michael and Helen met during their summer holidays in Southwold, Suffolk, where they stayed with their families in adjoining cottages.

After being married to the love of his life for almost six decades, Michael said he couldn’t imagine starting a relationship with anyone else as he was still “grieving” over the loss of Helen.

He shared, “I’ve shared my life with someone for so long that I find it impossible to share it with someone else in the same way. So in a way, I’m a little bit freer.”

The TV personality said he found it “strange” that she wasn’t there, especially when he came home from the theatre or a dinner and wanted to tell her about his experience.

He added that he misses “the little things” of their relationship and that he still finds it “really hard” without her, especially when it comes to cooking.

In the same interview, Michael also spoke openly about his own mortality, admitting that he is “not worried” about death because “it’s going to happen soon anyway.”

Michael noted that he has many interests, including his book research, which makes him “forget about mortality”

Michael shared how he loves seeing her things in their home because it reminds him of the time they spent together. The star added that it’s the reason he’ll never move. [pictured in 2009]

“I know it sounds strange, but I pretend Helen is still here. Her clothes are still in the closets. I don’t want to change my life because I don’t think she would want that either.”

The childhood sweethearts met when they were 16 and married in 1966, celebrating their 57th wedding anniversary, just weeks before Helen died. [pictured in 1986]

It comes after Michael heartbreakingly admitted he misses the ‘reassurance’ his late wife Helen Gibbins gave him during an appearance on Lorraine in April.

Speaking to Lorraine Kelly, Michael said: ‘It would have been our 58th wedding anniversary. I look for reassurance that she was incredibly good at telling me what to do and what not to do.

“She knew what I liked and when I was satisfied with my work, instead of getting involved in things I didn’t like. I miss that.”

The actor continued, “I miss the jokes we used to have together. I mean, it would have been our 58th anniversary and every anniversary we would try to do something with increasing implausibility… That humor, I really miss that.

‘I’ve known Helen for 60 years and I’ve never known anyone else in my life for that long. In that time you build up so many experiences, so many mutual experiences that you just don’t have to make a big deal out of it.’

It comes after Michael heartbreakingly admitted he misses the ‘reassurance’ his late wife Helen Gibbins gave him during an appearance on Lorraine in April

“I miss the jokes we used to have together. I mean, it would be our 58th anniversary and every anniversary we would try to do something with increasing implausibility… That humor, I really miss that.”

Speaking ahead of his new Channel 5 show, Michael Palin in Nigeria, he explained that he felt he had to ‘keep working’ because Helen would want him to continue.

He continued: ‘You can’t say, “Everything stops now, I’m just going to live in the past” – you have to keep going. I’m lucky because I get some work and I get to travel the world and get paid for it, which is great, and I want to keep doing that if I can.

‘It brings you into contact with human life, but it also gives me physical and mental energy, which is very important for your morale.

“We would love to go on another trip. I would actually go anywhere with the small group.”