Fawlty Towers set to return as John Cleese writes reboot with daughter

John Cleese is set to return to screens as Basil Fawlty, with a reboot of the star’s hit comedy Fawlty Towers in the works.

The second and final series ended more than 40 years ago, but Monty Python actor John, 83, is writing new episodes of the old BBC show with his comedian daughter, Camilla Cleese, 39.

Developed by actor-filmmaker Rob Reiner’s Castle Rock Entertainment, the new series will look at how cynical snob and misanthropic Basil fares in the modern world, it was announced Tuesday.

While plot details are mostly being kept under wraps, the story will look at hotel manager Basil’s relationship with his daughter, whom he recently discovered to be a father.

Despite being tortured by ‘that pesky section of the general public that insists on staying in hotels’ in the previous two series which ran from 1975 to 1979 for 12 episodes, Basil and his daughter decide to re-enter the industry and open a boutique property.

The original series followed the ill-fated exploits of high-strung Torquay hotelier Basil and his wife Sybil, played by Prunella Scales, as they tried to keep their hotel and marriage afloat.

In 2019, the show was named the best British sitcom of all time by a panel of television experts from Radio Times magazine.

Actor Rob Reiner, his wife and actress Michele Reiner, director/producer Matthew George and Derrick Rossi will serve as executive producers on the series.

John said: “What I like about Matt is that, unlike a lot of producers, he really ‘gets’ the creative process.

“When we met, he came up with a great first idea, and then Matt, my daughter Camilla, and I had one of the best brainstorming sessions I can remember.

“For dessert we had such a great overall concept that, a few days later, it got the thumbs up from Rob and Michele Reiner.

“Camilla and I are looking forward to expanding it into a series.”

Producer Matthew said meeting John and Camilla was one of the “great thrills” of his life, adding: “I’m obsessed with Fawlty Towers and the legendary characters it created.

On Air: The second and final series ended over 40 years ago, but Monty Python actor John is writing new episodes of the old BBC show (John is seen as the character Basil Fawlty in episode one from 1975 series one, A Touch of Glass)

I’ve watched the first two seasons so many times I’ve lost count. I dreamed of one day participating in a continuation of the story. Now it has come true.

Rob Reiner said: ‘John Cleese is a comedy legend. Just the thought of working with him makes me laugh.’

Former Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs, best known for his portrayal of the annoying Spanish waiter Manuel on the classic sitcom, died at the age of 86 in 2016 after a secret four-year battle with dementia that left him in a wheelchair and unable to speak

He passed away in a nursing home, with his wife Melody, who cared for him tirelessly, saying at the time: ‘My heart has been broken every day for a long time.’

Family affair: John teamed up with his comedian daughter Camilla Cleese, 39, to write the new episodes (Camilla pictured in 2018)

She said the couple was happy until the end, adding: “I’ve never heard him complain.”

Melody recounted how her husband had been diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2012. It is the second most common form of the disease after Alzheimer’s.

She said: ‘It wasn’t all doom and gloom, he still worked for two years.

“We were happy, we always laughed, we never had a dull moment. He had dementia for four years and we didn’t really notice it at first until the memory of him started to fade.

Iconic: John played hotel manager Basil who was tortured by “that troublesome section of the general public who insist on staying in hotels” in both series from 1975 to 1979 (L-R: Prunella Scales as Sybil, John Cleese as Basil, Connie Booth as Polly and Andrew Sachs as Manuel in 1975)

“It didn’t get really bad until almost the end. I took care of Andrew, I was there every moment.

The actor died on November 23, 2016, and his family and close friends gathered on November 30 of that year for his funeral and burial in North London.

Sybil Fawlty actress Prunella Scales was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2014 but, in November last year, her husband, Timothy West, insisted he was “still enjoying life” after celebrating his 90th birthday in June. .

Former Coronation Street star Timothy, 88, told the Mirror: ‘She enjoys life, which is really essential. She likes to do things.

Update: The new series, originally only 12 episodes made, will see Basil open a new boutique hotel with a daughter he didn’t know he was a father to.

“We just did a little boat trip around the Greek islands, we were just having fun without cameras.

‘We had a party this year, quite a big party. About 150 people came!’

His son Samuel, 56, previously said of his health: “He still recognizes us and knows that I have two children, so that’s really good.”

Samuel added to the Mirror that despite his impaired hearing, which makes conversation difficult, he is “in a good mood”.

He continued: “You can never tell with dementia what kind of personality it’s going to leave a person with, but overall it’s pretty light-hearted.

” Right now I’m interviewing both of them about their lives, because I want to write a book.

‘

Farewell: Andrew Sachs, best known for his portrayal of the annoying Spanish waiter Manuel on the classic sitcom, died at the age of 86 in 2016 after a battle with dementia.

Health: Sybil Fawlty actress Prunella Scales was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2014 but, in November of last year, her husband, Timothy West, insisted that she was “still enjoying life” (John and Prunella in the photo of the second series)

Aside from Fawlty Towers, John is best known as one of the original members of the Monty Python comedy troupe.

The group produced a number of surreal sketch shows and films, including Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Monty Python’s Life of Brian, and Monty Python’s Meaning of Life.

The actor also revealed last year that he would be joining GB News after being told it is a “free speech channel”.

Announcing the move on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: “The BBC didn’t come to me and say, ‘Would you like to have some hour-long shows?’

“And if they did, I’d say, ‘Not on your nelly,’ because I wouldn’t have five minutes into the first show before I got canceled or censored.”

Today’s host, Amol Rajan, responded at the time: ‘Well, we’ve given you five minutes today and I can promise you that you haven’t been censored yet.’

Plot: The original series followed the exploits of the high-strung Torquay hotelier Basil and his wife Sybil as they tried to keep their hotel and marriage afloat (John portrayed as Basil in 1975)