John Cleese has confirmed plans to make a follow-up to Fawlty Towers, some 44 years after the last episode aired.
The sitcom - widely regarded as one of the best British comedy shows of all time - ran for just 12 episodes across two series in 1975 and 1979, following Cleese as Basil Fawlty, the hapless manager of a seaside hotel in Torquay.
The new show will see Basil discover that he has a long-lost daughter, played by Cleese's real-life daughter Camilla Cleese, before proceeding to open a boutique hotel with her while navigating the perils of the modern world.
The project is being spearheaded by US production company Castle Rock Entertainment, which is owned by director Rob Reiner - known for films including the cult mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap.
Reiner said: "John Cleese is a comedy legend. Just the idea of working with him makes me laugh."
Matthew George, who will serve as producer, added: "Meeting John and Camilla was one of the great thrills of my life. 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."
Basil is almost certain to be the only major character to return from the original series, with Andrew Sachs (Manuel) having died in 2016 and 90-year-old Prunella Scales, who played Basil's long-suffering wife Sybil, having retired in 2020 due to Alzheimer's disease.
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