John Cleese shares snaps with his late Fawlty Towers co-stars Prunella Scales and Nicky Henson after her death as he pays tribute to ‘two of my best departed comedy friends’

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John Cleese recently posted photos remembering his Fawlty Towers colleagues Prunella Scales and Nicky Henson, following Henson’s passing earlier this week at age 93.

The famous actress was most recognized for playing Sybil Fawlty, the patient wife of Basil Fawlty, in the BBC comedy series.

She passed away after a lengthy struggle with dementia, not long after the loss of her husband, celebrated actor Timothy West, who died at the age of 90.

Meanwhile Nicky, who played the role of Mr Johnson in Fawlty Towers – passed away in 2019.

On Thursday, John shared happy photos of himself with both Prunella and the other person he was remembering, taken at an event. This came after his official statement honoring Prunella on Tuesday.

He penned in his post: ‘Two of my best departed Comedy friends. 

I first met Pru Scales, already a well-known actress, and Nicky Henson, who I shared a dressing room with on my very first day working for the BBC back in 1966. #prunellascales #nickyhenson

His post was flooded with messages of people sharing their condolences. 

John led the tributes to her straight after her death was announced on Tuesday.

He said: ‘How very sad. Pru was a really wonderful comic actress. 

I was revisiting episodes of Fawlty Towers for a book I’m writing, and the actress was consistently brilliant in every scene.

He described her as a kind and gentle woman who often apologized, something he playfully teased her about. He was very close to her and cared for her deeply.

The actress passed away peacefully at her London home, and her sons, Samuel and Joseph, shared that she had been enjoying the TV show Fawlty Towers the day before her death.

Despite being diagnosed with dementia, which led to her retirement after an incredible 70-year acting career, she was able to continue living at home.

‘Pru was married to Timothy West for 61 years. He died in November 2024.

She is remembered by her two sons, one stepdaughter, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

We’re so grateful to everyone who cared for Pru during her final days. Thanks to their kindness, she was comfortable, peaceful, and felt loved until the very end.

The classic comedy series Fawlty Towers celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, having originally aired in 1974 and won a Bafta award for best scripted comedy in 1976.

The show featured Andrew Sachs, who sadly passed away, playing the role of Manuel, a clumsy Spanish waiter. John Cleese’s wife at the time, Connie Booth, played the part of Polly, a chambermaid.

Prunella had been diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2013.

She also portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in Alan Bennett’s play, A Question Of Attribution, a performance that received a Bafta nomination. In 1973, she collaborated with Ronnie Barker on the BBC series Seven Of One.

Her husband, Timothy, passed away in November 2024. He was an actor known for his roles in several television programs, including the comedy-drama Brass, the sitcom Not Going Out, and the popular soaps Coronation Street and EastEnders.

The couple co-created and starred in 10 seasons of the Channel 4 show Great Canal Journeys, where they traveled and filmed along canals and waterways throughout the UK and beyond. Throughout the series, they also candidly discussed Scales’s health diagnosis.

Their last journey for the programme was broadcast in June 2019.

In a 2023 interview with BBC Breakfast, Timothy recalled first realizing his wife was ill while she was performing at the Greenwich Theatre back in 2001.

Prunella gained recognition in the early 1960s with her role in the sitcom Marriage Lines, and she went on to appear in numerous comedies on BBC Radio 4.

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2025-10-30 22:21