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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Sarah Barrett

Fawlty Towers fans have mixed reaction online as iconic UK sitcom set for reboot

Classic sitcom Fawlty Towers, which ran on BBC2 for two series in 1975 and 1979, is set to be rebooted, with John Cleese returning to write and star, and his daughter Camilla Cleese joining him.

The original show followed the unfortunate exploits of highly-strung Torquay hotelier Basil Fawlty (Cleese) and his wife Sybil, portrayed by Prunella Scales, as they tried to keep their hotel and marriage afloat.

Taking to Twitter, many expressed mixed feelings on the Fawlty Towers reboot.

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One person commented: "Might be something worth watching again!"

(BBC)

Another fan added: "Yes please!! Best news ever."

Many weren’t as optimistic about the reboot, however, with one saying: "Connie Booth co-wrote the brilliant original I suspect this will be garbage."

While another posted: "I'm gonna be in line to watch this.... but I'm not looking forward to it."

The new series will explore how cynical Basil navigates the modern world.

(BBC)

In 2019, the show was named the greatest British sitcom of all time by a panel of television experts for Radio Times magazine.

Castle Rock Entertainment announced on Tuesday it had closed a deal with Cleese to bring back the television series, but it's not yet clear which channel or streaming service it will appear on.

Actor Rob Reiner, his wife and actress Michele, director and producer Matthew George and Derrick Rossi will serve as executive producers on the reboot.

Discussing the new series and its producers, John said: "What I like about Matt is that, unlike many producers, he really ‘gets’ the creative process.

Fawlty Towers only ran for 12 episodes over two series (PA)

"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. Camilla and I look forward enormously to expanding it into a series."

Producer George 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.

In one scene draft of an episode saw Sybil (left) return drunk and flirt with Basil (not pictured) in the bedroom (BBC)

"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."

And Rob Reiner said: "John Cleese is a comedy legend. Just the idea of working with him makes me laugh."

Outside of Fawlty Towers, John is best known as one of the original members of the Monty Python comedy troupe.

The group produced a number of surreal sketch shows and films including Monty Python And The Holy Grail, Monty Python’s Life Of Brian and Monty Python’s The Meaning Of Life.

The actor also revealed last year he was joining GB News after being told it is a "free speech channel".

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