Fawlty Towers

Basil Fawlty unleashes battering pan on Manuel

​Basil Fawlty is hoping things pan out well for his co-star Manuel in an upcoming play at the King's Theatre in Gloucester following a comical mishap in rehearsals.

Simon Davies, who plays the infamous Spanish waiter, got more than he bargained for when he was smacked over the head with a frying pan last week.

Prunella Scales, 30 years on from Fawlty Towers

One of Britain's best character actresses, Prunella Scales will inevitably be remembered for one character above all.

Poll: what is your favourite Fawlty Towers moment?

Vote for your favourite moment from Fawlty Towers. Nominations include "The Germans", "Beating the Car", "Manuel and the Rat", "The Kipper and the Corpse", "Basil versus Mrs Richards", "The Hotel Inspectors", "The Builders" and "A Touch of Class".

Has Fawlty Towers dated?

Initial reviews in 1975 were poor and on one recent 2009 viewing, our TV critic found himself unamused by Basil and co.

Sitcoms don't get any funnier than Fawlty Towers

Basil Fawlty was rude, snobby, smarmy, hen-pecked, quick to anger, sarcastic and prudish - in the words of his creator, John Cleese, "an absolutely awful human being." But this unforgettable character stood at the center of one of the funniest sitcoms in television history, Fawlty Towers.

Prunella Scales, 30 years on from Fawlty Towers

One of Britain's best character actresses, Prunella Scales will inevitably be remembered for one character above all.

Cleese rules out return of Fawlty

The Fawlty Towers cast will never make another episode because they are "too old and tired", John Cleese has said.

Fawlty Towers almost didn't see the light of day

It's 30 years since they last got together to create chaos in a small hotel in Torquay. But yesterday there were no German diners to insult, no rodents in the kitchen and no dead guests to hide - just a few more grey hairs and wrinkles.

The classic sitcom the BBC didn't want

Thirty years after the series ended, John Cleese tells The Telegraph what a struggle Fawlty Towers was to make.

BBC rejected first episode of Fawlty Towers

John Cleese has said that the BBC originally dismissed Fawlty Towers as dire, as the cast of the popular sitcom were reunited for the 30th anniversary of the show.