AceShowbiz - Michael Palin's wife Helen has passed away after suffering chronic pain and kidney failure. The "Monty Python" actor, 79, who shared children Thomas, 54, William, 52, and Rachel, 48, with his partner of 57 years, broke the news on Tuesday, April 2 in a post on his official website she had passed away, seven months after she was moved into respite care.

"My dearest wife Helen died peacefully in the early hours of Tuesday morning. She had been suffering with chronic pain for several years, which was compounded a few years ago by a diagnosis of kidney failure," the presenter said as he hailed Helen as the "bedrock" of his life.

"We first met on a summer holiday on the Suffolk coast when we were both sixteen and we married in our early twenties. Two and a half weeks ago we celebrated our 57th wedding anniversary. Her death is an indescribable loss for myself, our three children and four grandchildren."

"Helen was the bedrock of my life. Her quietly wise judgment informed all my decisions and her humour and practical good sense was at the heart of our life together. The family ask that their privacy be respected at this time."

The couple met when they were 16 and married in 1966 when they were in their early 20s, and recently marked their 57th wedding anniversary. Michael revealed in September Helen's "body is declining" and that he was living life "with our fingers crossed."

He shared the update as Helen was moved into respite care from the home they shared for 50 years. Michael told the Telegraph at the time, "I don't think you can cure it, but they will help her manage it. It's such a bore. She was so active and still is mentally. But the body is declining. We live life with our fingers crossed."