Basil Fawlty is coming back, folks! Quite resoundingly disproving the commonly made claim that it “couldn’t be made in this day and age”, the legendary British comedy series Fawlty Towers is gearing up for a contemporary reboot that’s set to chronicle the continuing misadventures of everybody’s favourite miserly misanthrope.
Despite only running for two series and 12 episodes, Fawlty Towers has endured for over 40 years as the quintessential British sit-com. Now, John Cleese is set to return to his most iconic role in a new series produced by Rob Reiner’s Castle Rock Entertainment. Cleese, whose daughter Camilla Cleese will be starring alongside him as Basil’s long-lost daughter in the revival, will also be on writing duties for the show.
Although plot details are largely being kept under wraps for Fawlty’s return, we do know that the show will explore how Basil functions in the rapidly-changing modern world as he sets about opening and running a new boutique hotel with his estranged child. There’s no word yet on whether Basil’s long suffering wife Sybil or chambermaid Polly will show up here, and with the sad passing of Andrew Sachs back in 2016, it’ll be interesting to see whether Spanish waiter Manuel factors into the story at all.
Cleese has praised his collaboration with Reiner on this as having produced “one of the best creative sessions [he] can remember”, while Reiner has been similarly complimentary in return, remarking how “even the thought of working with him [Cleese] makes me laugh.” Here’s hoping this winds up being more Fawlty Towers than plain faulty from the Monty Python icon turned, er, GB News host.