BBC 'happy to talk' about Fawlty Towers remake with John Cleese
BBC ‘happy to talk’ about Fawlty Towers remake with John Cleese after actor claimed to have snubbed organisation for being too ‘woke’
A BBC boss says he would have been glad to have spoken to John Cleese about the return of Fawlty Towers, but was not approached.
Speaking on the news the sitcom was returning after 44 years, director of comedy, Jon Petrie said ‘we found out about it when everyone else did’.
He added: ‘We haven’t spoke to John – it’s a legendary show so we’d be happy to talk if he wanted.’
John has said he will not let the BBC screen a remake of Fawlty Towers as he thinks the organisation has become too ‘woke’.
The actor said: ‘I’m not doing it with the BBC because I won’t get the freedom.’
Conversation: A BBC boss says he would have been glad to have spoken to John Cleese about the return of Fawlty Towers, but was not approached
Surprise: Speaking on the news the sitcom was returning after 44 years, director of comedy, Jon Petrie said ‘we found out about it when everyone else did’
He added: ‘I was terribly lucky because I was working for the BBC in the late 60s, 70s, beginning of the 80s and that was the best time because the BBC was run by people with real personality…
‘But I believe it’s become far too dominated by people who are frightened of offending people.’
He told GB News’ Dan Wootton: ‘I want to deal with subjects that get people upset but I want to get sensible people with a sense of humour who will listen to each other and who will trade arguments rather than simply making speeches.’
The Monty Python star is yet to say which channel will show the remake.
Details are secret but it is safe to assume it will avoid very ‘un-woke’ scenarios of the original show, which ran from 1975 and 1979. One episode, The Germans, featured Basil leaving a German guest in tears with repeated mentions of the war.
In another the character Major Gowen, played by Ballard Berkeley, repeatedly used the N-word about the West Indies cricket team. It was temporarily pulled by streaming service UKTV.
Cleese said at the time: ‘We were not supporting [the Major’s] views, we were making fun of them.’
It comes after John Cleese’s ex-wife and co-writer Connie Booth expressed her shock she had also not been consulted before he announced the remake.
‘I’d have appreciated learning about the project from John rather than reading about it in the papers,’ said Connie, 82, who played Basil Fawlty’s chambermaid Polly Sherman in the classic comedy.
John is writing the new series with his daughter, Camilla, from his second marriage, to Barbara Trentham, the model and actress who died in 2013.
It was announced last month that John is set to return to screens as Basil Fawlty, with a reboot of the star’s famous comedy Fawlty Towers in the works.
Iconic: John played hotel manager Basil who was tortured by `that annoying section of the general public who insist on staying at hotels’ in the two series from 1975 to 1979 (L-R: Connie Booth as Polly, John Cleese as Basil, Prunella Scales as Sybil and Andrew Sachs as Manuel in 1975)
The second and final series ended more than 40 years ago but Monty Python actor John is writing new episodes of the former BBC programme with his comedian daughter Camilla, 39.
Developed by actor and filmmaker Rob Reiner’s Castle Rock Entertainment, the new series will look at how cynical and misanthropic snob Basil fares in the modern world.
While plot details are mostly being kept under wraps, the story will look at hotel manager Basil’s relationship with his daughter, who he has only recently discovered he is father to.
Despite being tortured by ‘that annoying section of the general public who insist on staying at hotels’ in the previous two series which ran from 1975 to 1979 for 12 episodes, Basil and his daughter decide to reenter the industry and open up a boutique property.
The original series followed the unfortunate exploits of highly-strung Torquay hotelier Basil and his wife Sybil, portrayed by Prunella Scales, as they tried to keep their hotel and marriage afloat.
In 2019, the show was named the greatest British sitcom of all time by a panel of television experts for Radio Times magazine.
Actor Rob Reiner, his wife and actress Michele Reiner, director and producer Matthew George and Derrick Rossi will act as executive producers on the series.
John said: ‘What I like about Matt is that, unlike many producers, he really ‘gets’ the creative process.
‘When we first met, he offered an excellent first idea, and then Matt, my daughter Camilla, and I had one of the best creative sessions I can remember.
‘By dessert we had an overall concept so good that, a few days later, it won the approval of Rob and Michele Reiner.
On air: The second and final series ended more than 40 years ago but Monty Python actor John is writing new episodes of the former BBC programme (John is seen as character Basil Fawlty in 1975’s episode one of series one, A Touch of Glass)
Family affair: John has teamed up with his comedian daughter Camilla Cleese, 39, to write the new episodes (Camilla pictured in 2018)
‘Camilla and I look forward enormously to expanding it into a series.’
Producer Matthew said that meeting John and Camilla was one of the ‘great thrills’ of his life, adding: ‘I’m obsessed with Fawlty Towers and the legendary characters he created.
‘I’ve watched the first two seasons so many times I have lost count. I dreamed of one day being involved in a continuation of the story. Now it’s come true.’
Rob Reiner said: ‘John Cleese is a comedy legend. Just the idea of working with him makes me laugh.’
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