British Comedy Guide
Fawlty Towers. Image shows from L to R: Manuel (Andrew Sachs), Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), Sybil Fawlty (Prunella Scales), Polly (Connie Booth). Copyright: BBC
Fawlty Towers

Fawlty Towers

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC Two
  • 1975 - 1979
  • 12 episodes (2 series)

Comedy about a hotel and its owner, a man of infinite rudeness with a rabid dislike of almost all guests. Stars John Cleese, Prunella Scales, Andrew Sachs, Connie Booth, Ballard Berkeley and more.

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Press clippings Page 4

The Fawlty Towers remakes: a real-life farce in four flops...

Just five years ago, John Cleese told an interviewer: "If I ever tried to do a Fawlty Towers-type sitcom again, everyone would say, 'It's not as good as Fawlty Towers'", so there's not much point in doing that. You have to do different things." The 83-year-old has clearly had a change of heart. Which prompts us to look back at some other attempts to reboot or remake the classic sitcom, which ran for just two series of six episodes in 1975 and 1979.

Chortle, 8th February 2023

The return of Basil Fawlty is exactly what broken Britain needs

When Fawlty Towers first ran in 1975, we were beset by economic woes, strikes and ineptitude. John Cleese's reboot couldn't be better timed.

Dominic Cavendish, The Telegraph, 8th February 2023

An anti-woke nightmare! Why the Fawlty Towers remake is a truly nauseating idea

This is 2023 - not the 80s or 90s. Today's John Cleese is tediously obsessed with cancel culture and most of the sitcom's original cast aren't involved. It's destined to be terrible.

Stuart Heritage, The Guardian, 8th February 2023

Please, John Cleese - leave Fawlty Towers alone

Cleese's obsession with cancel culture has already tarnished his reputation - he can't drag this classic sitcom with him.

Emily Bootle, i Newspaper, 8th February 2023

John Cleese is betraying his own golden rule by reviving Fawlty Towers

A reboot of the classic Seventies sitcom won't just be a disappointment, says Louis Chilton. It proves that absolutely nothing is sacred.

Louis Chilton, The Independent, 8th February 2023

The return of Fawlty Towers? What a terrible idea

Our comedy critic Dominic Maxwell considers it the greatest sitcom of all, but doesn't trust John Cleese to get it right again at 83.

Dominic Maxwell, The Times, 8th February 2023

John Cleese's revival of the classic comedy is a terrible idea and looks more like an act of revenge

The Monty Python star's complete U-turn could tarnish the legacy of this legendary seventies comedy series.

Pat Stacey, The Independent (Ireland), 8th February 2023

Why John Cleese's Fawlty Towers revival is set for failure

Don't mention the woke. I think he's mentioned it one hundred times, but...

Adam Miller, The Herald, 8th February 2023

Carol Cleveland shares concern over Fawlty Towers revival

She said: "I'm amazed. I'm no spring chicken at 81. John is 83, which in reality would be too old to run a hotel. I can't see it matching the original, but maybe it's not meant to," but added: "I'm delighted it's coming back and I can't wait to see it."

Peter Robertson, The Mirror, 8th February 2023

New Fawlty Towers is doomed to failure

Bitter old John Cleese hasn't been funny since the 80s and PC mob will ruin it.

Ally Ross, The Sun, 8th February 2023

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