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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Josh Luckhurst

Fawlty Towers script featuring deleted 'sex scene' to fetch £12,000 at auction

A Fawlty Towers script which had a deleted 'sex scene' is set to be sold at auction for £12,000 in Bristol.

The popular sitcom ran for two series in 1975 and 1979 but one lucky person will be able to get their hands on a rare script from the comedy - which was set at a fictional hotel in Torquay.

The script, which was originally owned by a BBC cameraman, had an initial valuation of between £800 and £1,200 but will go under the hammer for ten times more than the higher estimate after 72 bids were made on the item.

The 98-page document is titled 'Programme 1 - 2nd Series' and was dated January 21st, 1979.

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

The photo of the script shows the scene of American guest Mr Hamilton ordering a Waldorf Salad, despite Basil not knowing what that is, the kitchen being closed and the salad not being on the menu.

Andrew Stowe, at East Bristol Auctions, told The Sun : "To find new material from one of the greatest sitcoms of all time is like finding the Holy Grail."

According to The Sun, there is a draft script of 30 extra pages of the episode where Basil Fawlty (John Cleese) pretends to forget his wedding anniversary to Sybil (Prunella Scales), which results in her storming off despite him arranging friends to come for a surprise party.

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

In an addition scene, Sybil returns drunk and flirts with Basil in the bedroom suggesting an amorous encounter could be about to begin.

But Basil is then described as hanging from wisteria on the window - with Sybil then asks: "Have you gone off the idea?".

The scenes sees Basil then deadpan: "No dear, I was just getting some fresh air."

The description of the lot on the auction house's website read: "Fawlty Towers (BBC Sitcom 1975-1979) - an original 1979 Camera Script for the Series 2 episode 'Waldorf Salad'. Originally recorded as the first episode of the second series, the episode was later shown as the third episode.

"Dated 21st January 1979, and running to 98 printed pages on yellow paper. Retains the original script fastner to corner. Front cover loose.

The script on auction appeared to be from the episode 'Waldorf Salad' (Medavia)

"Originally owned by a BBC cameraman, the script represents an important piece of British Comedy history."

There were only 12 episodes made of Fawlty Towers despite the comedy programme regularly featuring among the higher echelons of polls when voting for the best British sitcom of all-time.

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