The new Fawlty Towers will be developed for Castle Rock Television and executive produced by Rob Reiner.

In surprising news, Castle Rock Entertainment have revealed plans to revive the classic 1970s British sitcom Fawlty Towers.

Often hailed as the example of the perfect television comedy, the original show consists of just 12 episodes across two seasons.

Set in the Fawlty Towers hotel, it starred John Cleese as Basil Fawlty, with Prunella Scales as his long-suffering wife Sibyl. Connie Booth, who co-wrote the show with John Cleese, appeared as the put-upon maid Polly; Andrew Sachs was Manuel, the Spanish waiter.

The show is part of the comedy furniture for generations of UK television watchers. Scenes like Basil attacking his car with a branch becoming instantly recognisable; quotes such as “Don’t mention the war” have also slipped into common parlance.

Cleese and daughter

Now, John Cleese is reviving his most famous character, with his daughter Camilla also writing and starring; Camilla Cleese is an actor and comedian in her own right. Their new take on the show intends to show how Basil copes navigating the modern world. It will also explore his relationship with a daughter he didn’t know he had as they attempt to run a “boutique hotel”.

The new show’s executive producers are Matthew George, Rob Reiner, Michele Reiner and Derrick Rossi for Castle Rock Television.

Understandably, there’s been plenty of reaction to the news, with some suggesting it’s a really bad idea – especially given John Cleese’s vocal anti-woke stance of the past few years. However, we remain optimistic that he can recapture some of the magic.

We’ll keep you posted.