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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Tom Bryant

John Cleese hints Fawlty Towers reboot won't be filmed in original location

John Cleese has hinted the Fawlty Towers remake could be set in the Caribbean instead of Torquay.

The star, 83, also said it would not be on the BBC as he would not get the "freedom" like before.

Cleese, who will reprise his role as Basil Fawlty, is poised to snub Devon after saying the show needed a surprising change of scene.

The comic told GB News: "Then we thought, 'Where?'

"Not in a small English town but somewhere more fun and much more different - say a Caribbean island."

On the BBC snub, Cleese claimed changes within the station had led it to prioritise audience numbers.

John Cleese is set to reprise his role as Basil Fawlty (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
He played the role in Fawlty Towers (BBC)

He will be the only original cast member in his new series and will be joined by his comedian daughter Camilla, 39. Fawlty Towers, written by Cleese and Connie Booth, first ran on BBC2 for two series in 1975 and 1979.

Cleese said: "That was the best time because the BBC was run by people with real personalities who loved the medium and were operating out of confidence."

The show had aired from 1975 to 1979 (Credit: BBC) (PA)

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Fawlty Towers was named the greatest British sitcom by Radio Times in 2019. The show followed the exploits of hapless hotelier Fawlty and his wife Sybil, played by Prunella Scales.

Cleese has agreed to a deal with Castle Rock Entertainment to write the new series.

It will explore how the cynical Fawlty navigates the modern world as he and his newly discovered daughter, played by Camilla, run a hotel.

John is set to star in a new series (Getty Images)
He will be joined by his daughter Camilla Cleese (left) (Getty Images)

The original Fawlty Towers - which last aired in 1979 - had starred John as hotelier Basil alongside a host of co-stars including Prunella, now 90, who played his on-screen wife.

It was announced earlier this month that the BBC sitcom would be revived. John is set to write and star in the project alongside his daughter Camilla Cleese, 39.

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