John Cleese is set to star in his first BBC sitcom since ‘Fawlty Towers’.
The 77-year-old actor hasn’t been seen on the channel since the comedy, in which he portrayed mega snob Basil Fawlty, came to an end in 1979 but all of that is about to change after he secured a part in the new BBC2 comedy ‘Edith’.
John has been cast as Phil, an old boyfriend of the titular heroine (played by Alison Steadman), who dreams of marrying the love of his life and moving out into the sun.
BBC head of comedy Shane Allen told the RadioTimes,com: "It’s a huge pleasure to welcome John Cleese back to the land of BBC sitcom – his last one did alright."
Not much is known about the sitcom but it’s thought filming will kick off in June.
John’s new role will no doubt bring him even more attention from the younger generation, which will unlikely sit well with him because he hates being pestered.
He said previously: "I do get very irritated by people who come up and say, ‘Can I have a picture with you?’ Now this is someone you have never seen before in your life, who taps you and says, ‘Can I have a picture with you?’ I kind of say, ‘What? To commemorate the fact that we met three seconds ago.’ I think it is the celebrity culture. So I very nicely say, ‘Sorry I don’t do that’. And sometimes I say, ‘I don’t do that but why don’t you ask the guy over there?’ Because if somebody went up to you in the street and said, ‘Could I have a picture with you?’ You would say, ‘Urgh.’ "
John Cleese to star in new BBC sitcom
