Website Variety has accidentally run a story that Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame had died. Gilliam, 74, is alive and well.

The website realised its mistake and removed the article but not before tributes on Twitter had started coming in.

Suspicions, however, were raised by the fact that the story was incomplete. Instead of printing an actual age, the headline said "Monty Python's Terry Gilliam, Director of 'Brazil', Dies at XXX". It looks as if a story written in advance to be published and updated when Gilliam actually dies was uploaded prematurely.

Variety quickly tweeted an apology: "We're deeply sorry for the mistake". As magician Chris Cox tweeted: "Bit awkward at least they were nice about him".

Update 9/9/15. Terry Gilliam has posted this response to reports of his death on his Facebook page today: "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!"