David Sherlock was the inspiration for many Monty Python sketches, including "Anne Elk", and was the originator of the Python sketch "Death of Mary Queen of Scots". David was one of several co-authors on A Liar's Autobiography, the official Chapman memoir, and co-writer of Yellowbeard. He also co-wrote Jake's Journey (a 1988 television pilot for CBS which featured Peter Cook, Chapman and others), which was never broadcast.

After Chapman's death, Sherlock returned to his private life, but has contributed to The Pythons book.

It was inaccurately reported that Sherlock blasted Chapman's ashes off a cliff to celebrate the millennium. Another rumour was that Sherlock sprinkled Chapman's ashes on people at the 25th anniversary of Monty Python's founding in Los Angeles.

Sherlock eventually scattered Chapman's ashes on Snowdon, North Wales on 18 June 2005.