Inside Monty Python's biggest tragedies - cancer battles to end-of-life confession

Monty Python, which aired from 1969 to 1974, was loved by millions of viewers who adored the British comedy group, known for having ridiculous humour and satirical genius. The troupe was made up of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Sir Michael Palin. Some of the cast went on to star in sitcoms and movies, while Sir Michael travelled the globe for his award-winning series, Around the World in 80 Days.

While the actors' aim was to make their audience laugh and offer them a form of escapism from the real world, the cast has been plagued by real-life tragedies and misfortunes. Here, Express.co.uk takes a look at the heartache that has surrounded the show.

spinal cancer when he was just 48 years old. Graham was one of the core members of the series, known for portraying the legendary King Arthur in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Brian in Life of Brian. He died just before the group's 20th anniversary, with the stars never truly reuniting in full form after his passing. " data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="GETTY " data-licensor-name="GETTY " /> Monty Python, was diagnosed with Dementia in 2015. He suffered from Frontotemporal dementia, a rare form of the illness, which affects speech and personality. After battling with the disease for five years, he sadly died aged 77. In his final years, he was unable to speak, and his death left a huge hole in the Monty Python community. " data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="-" data-licensor-name="-" /> John Cleese has been through several expensive divorces in his life, with his third one to wife Alyce Faye Eichelberger reportedly costing him more than £20 million. The star often quipped about his financial problems, but they did impact his later life as he was forced to take on more work to recover from the losses. " data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="-" data-licensor-name="-" /> Michael Palin made a tragic admission following the death of his beloved wife two years ago. He told Daily Mail his wife, Helen Gibbins, was in a lot of pain towards the end of her life.

When questioned if this made him want a quick death for himself, he admitted: "In some ways. But at the same time, she had time to see the grandchildren grow up, which she treasured."

The pair had been together since they were studying at university in a relationship which lasted almost 60 years.

" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images" data-licensor-name="FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images" /> " data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="-" data-licensor-name="-" />