Of course he should, he's sitting on a potential gold mine with FT and I wouldn't be surprised to see him come up with a spin off of some kind yet. And why not?

My idea would be 'Manuel's', a sitcom set in Manuel's tappas bar, with Polly as the Manageress. Now a rich and successful owner of a chain of Spanish eateries, Manuel feels sorry for a bankrupt, divorced and semi derelict Basil, and decides to give him a job running one of his restaurants, cue the madcap comedy we loved so much. Only thing against it is their age but wonders can be done with make up these days.

Quote: Mark @ December 4 2010, 2:57 PM GMT

Divorce laws really need changing, as it doesn't seem fair that his ex-wife is getting his fortune when she had nothing to do with its creation.

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It's a pretty despicable situation, no doubt. Moreso that he has to keep on paying her for years rather than just getting a lump sum payoff. Shocking.

Quote: Dave @ December 4 2010, 5:19 PM GMT

He said on The One Show, that he would like to write. But you can't be paid to sit and write, you only get paid if what you write gets filmed or published.

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Hmm, I don't quite buy into that reason.

Although what he says is true, he could write a pilot VERY quickly - then hawk it 'round.

It's not like he has to write an entire series, before seeking interest. Excuses.

Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened was on tonight on GOLD. Connie Booth looks terrible these days - quite scary!

Cleese is always a marvelous interviewee, though. He's really interested in the mechanics of comedy. I remember he once said he considered teaching 'masterclasses' on comedy. That would be amazing if he did do it. I'm surprised he hasn't been a guest speaker at some workshop before now.

Quote: Dave @ December 5 2010, 3:06 AM GMT

Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened was on tonight on GOLD. Connie Booth looks terrible these days - quite scary!

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Has she had work done? That always looks scary to me.

Or... does she look scary because she's one of the few who haven't?

I can't stand John Cleese. The most overrated comic performer of all time.

The fact that he used to endorse the SDP makes him even more objectionable.

I still think he's one of the most under rated. It's not his ability to perform so much as his unique persona that makes him stand out. There was hardly anyone like him when he arrived, but since, there have been hundreds of imitators. He's the Michael Caine of comedy acting. I can watch him all day long, he's still fantastic in those new ads he's in.

Quote: Dave @ December 5 2010, 3:06 AM GMT

Fawlty Towers: Re-Opened was on tonight on GOLD. Connie Booth looks terrible these days - quite scary!

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She certainly has not aged well. By contrast, Prunella Scales, who I think is considerably older, looked great.
I thought that programme was rather self-congratulatory. At one point, Cleese picks up an unfavourable review to sneer at it. This review said, quite fairly, that Ft consisted of stock characters, which it did. It is only the performance of Cleese that raised the formulaic Farce into a memorable series.

Give Connie a break. She's a woman in her mid sixties. What do you expect her to look like? And without her FT would have been nowhere near as good. As for Cleese, he's done nothing of note since Wanda and I doubt he ever will again. The ageing process is at its harshest on comic talent.

Lol chip. Nice try, you're the one who posted the cat lady!

Quote: zooo @ December 5 2010, 9:28 PM GMT

Lol chip. Nice try, you're the one who posted the cat lady!

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Quote: chipolata @ December 5 2010, 9:26 PM GMT

Give Connie a break. She's a woman in her mid sixties. What do you expect her to look like? And without her FT would have been nowhere near as good. As for Cleese, he's done nothing of note since Wanda and I doubt he ever will again. The ageing process is at its harshest on comic talent.

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She was scary because she has had work done. If she left it to nature she would have been all right. I suppose it's living in LA that does it. She's a psychiatrist now, and has a heavy US accent.

Except that she lives in London...

Quote: Dave @ December 5 2010, 11:39 PM GMT

She's a psychiatrist now, and has a heavy US accent.

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An American with an American accent - shocker.

Quote: Cheesehoven @ December 5 2010, 5:52 PM GMT

She certainly has not aged well. By contrast, Prunella Scales, who I think is considerably older, looked great.

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What a drag it is.