Palin slams 'stupid and selfish' act

Thieves are thought to have stolen a blue plaque celebrating Monty Python's Graham Chapman.

His co-star Michael Palin slammed the crime as 'a very stupid and selfish thing to do', adding: 'The plaque was put there for everyone to enjoy the memory of Graham Chapman.'

The memorial was put up 16 years ago at the entrance to Graham's former school, King Edward VII in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, but the school closed in 2011.

At the time Leicestershire County Council were criticised for failing to find a home for the plaque, even though local historians wanted to help. And at some point since then the plaque has vanished.

School friend John Bailey told the Melton Times: 'It's a bit upsetting that Graham's plaque has gone missing. I drove up to the old school building a couple of months ago and was surprised to see it had gone.'

Alumni group The Edwardians, say they are pushing for a new memorial to be put up if the old one cannot be found, but the council say: 'There are no plans to replace the previous plaque.'

Last year, Palin unveiled another plaque to Chapman at one of his childhood homes, Burton Road in Melton Mowbray, where he lived from 1953 to 1955.

And in 2012, the British Comedy Society put up a blue plaque in his honour at the The Angel pub in Highgate, North London, marking the fact that Chapman 'drank here often and copiously.'

Published: 16 Oct 2015