Fawlty Towers: John Cleese revives series with daughter

Basil Fawlty, played by John Cleese, will return to our screens in a new series

The comedy series Fawlty Towers is to be revived after more than 40 years.

John Cleese, who played Basil Fawlty, will return to co-write and star with his daughter Camilla Cleese.

The two-part show, which aired on BBC2 in 1975 and 1979, followed the lives of Torquay hotelier Basil and his wife Sybil as they tried to keep their business and marriage afloat.

The new series will explore how the dramatic and cynical Basil navigates the modern world.

Castle Rock Entertainment announced Tuesday that it has struck a deal with Cleese to bring back the television series.

The revival will also result in Basil and a daughter he just discovered being his own teaming up to run a boutique hotel.

Cleese is also known as one of the original members of the Monty Python comedy group.

The original cast of Fawlty Towers – Andrew Sachs, Prunella Scales, John Cleese and Connie Booth – on the set in 1975

Fawlty Towers was voted the greatest British sitcom of all time in 2019 by a panel of television experts from Radio Times magazine.

The new series is executive produced by actor Rob Reiner, his wife and actress Michelle, director and producer Matthew George and Derrick Rossi.

Cleese said that when he first met George, “he had an excellent idea” that resulted in “one of the best creative sessions I can remember.”

“Up until dessert, we had such a good overall concept that Rob and Michele Reiner approved it a few days later.

“Camilla and I are really excited to make this a series.”

Director George said he was “obsessed with Fawlty Towers” and that meeting Cleese and his daughter was “one of the ‘big thrills’ of his life.

“I’ve watched the first two seasons so many times I’ve lost count.

“I dreamed of one day being part of a sequel to the story. Now it has come true.”

Actor Reiner called the Fawlty Towers star a “comedy legend”. “Just the thought of working with him makes me laugh.”

John Cleese and his daughter Camilla will both star in the new series

In 2020, Cleese had a disagreement with the BBC after they temporarily removed a classic episode of Fawlty Towers for “racial slurs”.

The 1975 episode entitled The Germans featured the Major character using very obnoxious language and Basil stating “don’t mention the war”.

Cleese criticized the decision: “I would have hoped someone at the BBC would understand that there are two ways to make fun of human behaviour.

“One is to attack it directly. The other is having someone who is obviously a fun figure speaking out for that behavior.”

Streaming service UKTV temporarily removed the episode while it conducted a review, but it was restored with a warning about “offensive content and language”.

The original show was written by Cleese and Connie Booth.

In October 2022, the Monty Python actor confirmed he would be hosting his own GB News TV show.

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