John Cleese pays emotional tribute to co-star Prunella Scales after 'sad' death

John Cleese has paid an emotional tribute to his former co-star Prunella Scales after her "sad" death.

The actress died at the age of 93 last week, with her sons Samuel and Joseph West confirming the news in a statement.

"Our darling mother Prunella Scales died peacefully at home in London yesterday," they said.

Prunella's seven-decade acting career saw her in multiple roles from the 1950s, including in 1960s sitcom Marriage Lines, before featuring as the wife of John Cleese's character Basil Fawlty, in two series of Fawlty Towers in 1975 and 1979.

John appeared on ITV's This Morning on Thursday (November 6), where he spoke to hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard about his beloved friend, reports Wales Online.

"Watching those clips from Fawlty Towers, and we've all been going back over them, knowing you were coming here. The sad loss of your really good friend and co-star, Prunella Scales, more recently. I wonder what your memories of working with her on Fawlty Towers were?" Ben began.

John replied: "She was a star before anyone had ever heard of me. She was with Richard Briers in Marriages Lines. She was seven years older than me, and she was a big star and incredibly accomplished. She could do anything.

"And when I was watching her in clips, the performance is so perfect... And if you just watch the way she plays, it's perfection.

"The sad thing about our business is you work with people and get very close to them, and then you sometimes hardly see them again."

Prunella was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2014 after her husband, Timothy West, noticed early symptoms back in 2003.

Speaking about Prunella's illness, John went on: "I was sat next to her about ten years ago and I hadn't seen her for a bit, and she asked me the same question six times.

"So, you answer the question, but you don't feel you've made proper contact. But the great thing was, she was lucky enough to be married to Timothy West, who was absolutely wonderful."

He concluded: "Watching her [in Fawlty Towers], everything she does is perfect. The only sad thing about it was they're almost all dead. I got a little depressed at one point."

Following her death, Prunella's sons went on to say: "Although dementia forced her retirement from a remarkable acting career of nearly 70 years, she continued to live at home. She was watching Fawlty Towers the day before she died.

"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."

This Morning airs weekdays on ITV at 10am

If you were affected by the issues raised in this story, organisations which can offer help include Dementia UK and the NHS