Monty Python star Terry Gilliam ‘suffers stroke’ aged 77

Terry Gilliam suffered a ‘stroke’ this week while awaiting a legal decision over whether his new film would be allowed to close the Cannes Film Festival.

The Monty Python legend and director fell ill last weekend and was unable to attend a court hearing over his movie The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.

Terry, 77, had "a kind of stroke" in London and was taken to hospital, according to French newspaper Nice-Matin – although other publications’ translation claim he suffered from some "discomfort".

A source confirmed to IndieWire that the filmmaker "was in the hospital" but is "at home now".

Terry was not in court on Tuesday to hear a judge’s decision on whether the Don Quixote project he’s been working on for 25 years could be shown at Cannes on May 19 – its closing day.

He is being sued by former producing partner Paul Branco – who also worked on Monty Python – who has claimed in court that he has held the film rights since August 2016.

Mirror Online has contacted Terry’s reps for comment.

Back in 2015, Terry was the subject of fake death rumours and reacted in his characteristically funny way.

Gilliam took to Facebook to comment on Variety’s mistaken story, sharing a photoshopped image of him lying ‘dead’ as a woman holds a sign reading "He was only 30! Bad reviews from Variety aged him!"

He added: "I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING DEAD especially to those who have already bought tickets to the upcoming talks, but, Variety has announced my demise. Don’t believe their retraction and apology! (sic)"

Variety published and tweeted a death announcement for the director, actor and all-round comedy legend, before deleting both and issuing an apology.

They wrote: "CORRECTION: Variety incorrectly published an article stating that director Terry Gilliam passed away. We’re deeply sorry for the mistake."

And just last month, Terry berated his late friend and co-star Verne Troyer for his shock death aged 49.

Taking to Facebook to share pictures of them together, Terry wrote: "Verne.. you b*****d! How could you do this? You’ve abandoned us!. The world is going to rat s**t and you decide to p**s off and join the choir invisible!!.. Just when we need you more than ever!!!"

He went on: "I was one of the lucky people that got to call Verne Troyer a friend. We worked together on Fear and Loathing and Doctor Parnassus.

"Verne was probably the most extraordinary person I ever met. He had an amazing spirit, an energy that filled the space of a 7 foot tall, 300 pound gorilla. He was fearless and crazy, sweet and vulnerable, and one of the few people I could accidentally trip over and wouldn’t get beaten up too brutally.

"He had a well-earned temper, he didn’t suffer fools, but he understood the big joke that life can be. He has left a massive hole in my universe," Terry added.

"Goodbye Verne, give the b*****ds hell wherever you are."

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