‘Fawlty Towers: The Play’, the hit West End theatrical reimagining of the beloved British sitcom, is coming to TV for the first time, with U&GOLD set to air a special recording of the show this September to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original series.
Written by series co-creator and comedy icon John Cleese, Fawlty Towers: The Play brings together three classic episodes – The Hotel Inspector, The Germans, and Communication Problems – into one stage production. The play has played to record-breaking, sell-out audiences since opening in May 2024 and is set to tour the UK and Ireland later this year.
The special 120-minute recording was captured during the show’s acclaimed West End run and stars Adam Jackson-Smith (Trying) as Basil Fawlty, Anna-Jane Casey (Cabaret) as Sybil, Hemi Yeroham (The Play That Goes Wrong) as Manuel, and Victoria Fox (SIX) as Polly.
“I’ve been overwhelmed by the wonderful response to Fawlty Towers: The Play since its debut in the West End, and it’s a pleasure to hear U&Gold will be bringing it straight to everyone’s living rooms just in time for the 50th anniversary,” said Cleese.
Commissioned for UKTV by Mark Iddon and produced by Phil McIntyre Television, the special promises to deliver all the chaos, wit, and farcical brilliance that made the original series a cornerstone of British comedy.
“Fawlty Towers has been making generations of viewers laugh for 50 years, and this new stage reimagining is a wonderful way to honour the original series,” said Iddon.
“Fawlty Towers is a cornerstone of British comedy, and we’re honoured to be the first place TV audiences can watch this new stage version,” added Gerald Casey, U&GOLD’s director of programming.
Critics have praised the stage show as “the funniest show in town” (Daily Express), “a hugely entertaining blast of unadorned nostalgia” (The Times), and “theatrical time travel of the most joyful variety” (London Theatre).
‘Fawlty Towers: The Play’ will air on U&GOLD in September 2025.
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