“There were two people from BBC Comedy. I wanted to say to him: ‘You have absolutely no idea what you’re doing.’John Cleese as Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers. “The head of BBC Comedy, Jimmy Gilbert, took me to lunch and asked me if there was anything I’d like to do. But Fawlty Towers remains just 12 pieces of comedy perfection whose reputation has grown, perhaps, because they weren’t ruthlessly exploited. But beyond his name, it’s those 12 comedy classics in Fawlty Towers that he’ll be remembered for.

Source: The Times September 09, 2025 19:15 UTC