Monty Python super fans find love and get engaged thanks to The Sun
John Wood and Gemma Harris met five years ago after we told of John's dating site
TWO Monty Python super-fans have found the meaning of wife – they are getting married thanks to a story in The Sun.
Loved-up John Wood, 59, and fiancé Gemma Harris, 35, will tie the knot at a Python-themed wedding in October when they even plan to act out skits – including the famous mattress sketch.
The couple met five years ago after The Sun published a story about how divorcee John had set up a dating site exclusively for Python devotees.
Gemma signed-up after spotting our story and the pair fell in love over all things Python and soon set up home in East Grinstead, West Sussex, where they run a social media company.
The groom proposed at a fan event in front of the couple’s heroes Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam in February 2017.
John divorced his first wife in 2010, who was not a fan of the films and knew his next partner would have to be a Python obsessive.
My ex-wife didn’t get it and I wanted someone I could share those jokes with so when I got divorced I knew it was so important to me to find another Python fan
John Wood
He said: “I have been a massive Python fan all my life.
“Everything in life reminds me of Python, silly situations, people are acting out Python sketches sometimes when they don’t even realise it, which I find hilarious.
“My ex-wife didn’t get it and I wanted someone I could share those jokes with so when I got divorced I knew it was so important to me to find another Python fan.
“I thought that would be a really good foundation for a relationship.”
'THE RELATIONSHIP BLOSSOMED'
John, who was crowned the biggest Monty Python fan by the BFI (British Film Institute) in 2012, said he signed up to dating sites and met women who said they
liked the shows and films.
But none were as obsessive as him so he set up a dating page called Pythonesque.
He added: “There was a story in The Sun about the page and Gemma’s uncle saw it and sent it her and she joined the site.
“As soon as anyone joined I would say ‘Hi, how are you? How much do you like Python?’
“We clicked, she liked Brazil which is my favourite film and I thought, ‘wow she really gets it’, it was a double whammy.
GILIAM'S BLESSING
“Then we met, and saw Spamalot in London four times and the relationship blossomed.”
John who first saw the Flying Circus aged nine, proposed at a special Python event hosted by Michael Palin and Terry Gillam in London on Gemma’s 33rd birthday.
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He said: “We had been to a special fundraiser at The Roundhouse in London and I just knew I had to do it.
“I asked them both at the end as everyone was leaving and they said, ‘OK’.
“I got down on one knee and Gillam was doing a commentary which was very funny and then afterwards he said, ‘I wish you a long and happy life together’ which was great.”
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