John Cleese, the 86-year-old co-creator of the beloved sitcom Fawlty Towers, has revealed he once envisioned a feature film version of the show. The comedian outlined the plot for a potential movie during his appearance on "Joe And David's Magical Sitcom Tour" on the U&Gold channel.
Cleese described a scenario where Basil Fawlty, during a package holiday to Spain, finds himself on a plane that is hijacked. In his frustration and rage, Basil would tackle the hijackers, becoming a hero. However, the situation would take a comedic turn when the pilot announces a return to Heathrow, prompting Basil to hijack the plane himself. This action would lead to the entire holiday being spent in a Spanish jail.
While Cleese recounted the idea with enthusiasm, the review notes that cinema adaptations of sitcoms rarely achieve the same success as their television counterparts. The 1977 film version of "Are You বেঁচে Are You Being Served?" is cited as an example of a cinematic adaptation that fell short for even ardent fans.
In "Joe And David's Magical Sitcom Tour," comedians Joe Wilkinson and David Earl explore locations associated with Fawlty Towers. The show features the pair visiting Studio TC1 at the former BBC Television Centre in White City, London, where some episodes were filmed. They also traveled to Torquay to see the site of the Gleneagles hotel that inspired the series and recreated a scene from the "Gourmet Night" episode by parking a Mini on the cul-de-sac where Basil's car famously broke down.
The series also looks at other classic British sitcoms, with previous episodes covering "Porridge" and a forthcoming episode focusing on "The Office." The program is described as gentle, nerdy television for viewers who enjoy revisiting childhood favorites.
Wilkinson shared a personal anecdote about his father, who reportedly laughed so hard at Fawlty Towers that he fell off the sofa.
Comedians David Earl (left) and Joe Wilkinson (right) star in Joe and David's Magical Sitcom Tour on U&Gold.
In other television programming, "Murder Trial: Death Of A Dog Walker" on BBC2 is detailing a 2024 murder case in Scotland, focusing on the trial of David Campbell. The film "Red Eye," airing on BBC1, features Cillian Murphy in a thriller directed by Wes Craven.