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Fawlty Towers: Fawlts and All: The Sunday Times bestselling 50th anniversary celebration of the nation's beloved sitcom
At last, here is the ultimate celebration of the nation's beloved sitcom from its legendary creator, John Cleese. Enjoy the behind-the-scenes magic, with stunning on-set photographs from the archives ... and a laugh a page!
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'A joy and an education to read. So many memories flooding back. Great stuff.' Goodreads review
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Amazing detail ... a superb book on my favourite comedy series' Goodreads review
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'So special and had me laughing ... a fantastic book' Goodreads review
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Wonderful book with lots of insight' Goodreads review
Duck surprise. The car that wouldn't start. The psychiatrists. Those builders... Readers say Fawlts and All is 'guaranteed to make you smile' and 'a must for all fans'!
Fifty years ago Fawlty Towers hit British TV screens for the first time, becoming an instant classic. Now for the first time John Cleese tells his stories from behind the scenes of his favourite moments. From writing scripts that were so carefully planned they were double the length of similar shows', to casting, lighting, how the show was almost cancelled before it started, and other production shenanigans, these are your favourite moments from Fawlty Towers as you've never seen them before. Exploring the how and why of creating classic comedy, there is a laugh on every page, and a dose of nostalgia for vintage TV fans. With gorgeous commissioned illustration and archival imagery, the book revisits such iconic scenes as Basil thrashing his car, a rat appearing in a box of cheese biscuits, and Basil goose-stepping across the dining room to an audience of horrified guests.
Written by and starring Cleese and his then-wife Connie Booth, the first series of Fawlty Towers aired in 1975, with a second series broadcast in 1979. It featured Cleese as the irascible hotel manager Basil Fawlty, Prunella Scales as his sybaritic wife Sybil, Andrew Sachs as the hapless waiter Manuel, and Booth as Polly, an efficient waitress and art student. It won three BAFTAS and, despite having only 12 episodes in total, continues to be regularly voted the best sit-com in British history.
Fawlty Fawlts and All was a top 10 Sunday Times bestseller in Hardback Non-Fiction, weeks ending 8th and 15th November 2025.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'A joy and an education to read. So many memories flooding back. Great stuff.' Goodreads review
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Amazing detail ... a superb book on my favourite comedy series' Goodreads review
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'So special and had me laughing ... a fantastic book' Goodreads review
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Wonderful book with lots of insight' Goodreads review
Duck surprise. The car that wouldn't start. The psychiatrists. Those builders... Readers say Fawlts and All is 'guaranteed to make you smile' and 'a must for all fans'!
Fifty years ago Fawlty Towers hit British TV screens for the first time, becoming an instant classic. Now for the first time John Cleese tells his stories from behind the scenes of his favourite moments. From writing scripts that were so carefully planned they were double the length of similar shows', to casting, lighting, how the show was almost cancelled before it started, and other production shenanigans, these are your favourite moments from Fawlty Towers as you've never seen them before. Exploring the how and why of creating classic comedy, there is a laugh on every page, and a dose of nostalgia for vintage TV fans. With gorgeous commissioned illustration and archival imagery, the book revisits such iconic scenes as Basil thrashing his car, a rat appearing in a box of cheese biscuits, and Basil goose-stepping across the dining room to an audience of horrified guests.
Written by and starring Cleese and his then-wife Connie Booth, the first series of Fawlty Towers aired in 1975, with a second series broadcast in 1979. It featured Cleese as the irascible hotel manager Basil Fawlty, Prunella Scales as his sybaritic wife Sybil, Andrew Sachs as the hapless waiter Manuel, and Booth as Polly, an efficient waitress and art student. It won three BAFTAS and, despite having only 12 episodes in total, continues to be regularly voted the best sit-com in British history.
Fawlty Fawlts and All was a top 10 Sunday Times bestseller in Hardback Non-Fiction, weeks ending 8th and 15th November 2025.
- GenresNonfiction
580 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 9, 2025
27 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
John Cleese
116 books573 followersJohn Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and singer.
Cleese is probably best known for his various roles in the British comedy Monty Python's Flying Circus, his role as Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers and his various roles in the British comedy The Frost Report. He also played the role of Archie Leach in the American / British comedy film A Fish Called Wanda.
Cleese is probably best known for his various roles in the British comedy Monty Python's Flying Circus, his role as Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers and his various roles in the British comedy The Frost Report. He also played the role of Archie Leach in the American / British comedy film A Fish Called Wanda.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 12, 2025
I've been fortunate enough to meet comedy legend John Cleese & briefly chat with him on two occasions. Both times he came across as someone who was quick to praise other people while playing down his own incredible talent. This excellent book on making Fawlty Towers shows him in the same light.
The classic BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers may be 50 years old, but Cleese tells the story of its creation & success in amazing detail. There are also plenty of excellent rare photographs to support the text.
As well as a history of the series John Cleese also covers the recent Fawlty Towers stage play & there is a nice Afterwood by series c0-creator Connie Booth.
This was a superb book on my favourite comedy series, enchanced by this copy from Waterstones which was signed by John Cleese.
The classic BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers may be 50 years old, but Cleese tells the story of its creation & success in amazing detail. There are also plenty of excellent rare photographs to support the text.
As well as a history of the series John Cleese also covers the recent Fawlty Towers stage play & there is a nice Afterwood by series c0-creator Connie Booth.
This was a superb book on my favourite comedy series, enchanced by this copy from Waterstones which was signed by John Cleese.
October 13, 2025
Fawlty Towers has always held a special place with me as it was something I would watch with my Grandad as a child and then grew up loving and laughing at it over and over. This book for its 50th anniversary is so special and had me laughing as I remembered all my favourite parts from the episodes. I really enjoyed finding out about the inspiration for it and all the behind the scenes little details. John Cleese's writing is brilliant and I read every one of his words in his voice! A fantastic book that I know my Grandad would have loved if he were still with us ❤️
November 8, 2025
Very well written and thought out book. Fawlty Towers is my favourite comedy series of all time and I have watched them constantly and always find them extremely funny. Wobderful book with lots of insight as to how it came about
November 25, 2025
I started reading this just before the sad passing of Pruella Scales. Plenty of information about the TV show and nice to have details about the stage play included.
December 17, 2025
Anything Cleese writes< I have to read.
November 1, 2025
Like many in the UK, I grew up watching and re-watching Fawlty Towers more times than I care to remember. I have also read books associated with the programme, such as Graham McCann’s brilliant, comprehensive book on the sitcom. So, I’m not sure if I expected to learn anything new from reading this, and I’m not sure I did.
This book is presented by its title as John Cleese’s favourite moments. Yet, I found it a more technical book on Cleese’s take on why comedy works in general and why certain comedic scenes and episodes in Fawlty Towers work. He often does this by describing his writing process (with Connie Booth). Even if that’s right up my street, I’m not sure it will be to everyone’s taste.
It covers all twelve episodes, providing a recap of each one and highlighting certain scenes. It gives notes on the actors who appeared and some background information on each episode. As I said, there wasn't much I learned that was new, but it was still interesting to hear Cleese’s take on each episode.
As with his brilliant autobiography, I always find that John Cleese puts in a lot of time and effort into anything he does. A simple reason he’s successful. This book is no different. As for negatives, a few times strong swear words were used, which I found unnecessary, and the chapter on the stage show was a little over-fawning in my opinion. I would also have liked more of Connie Booth’s insights, rather than just a couple of pages at the end. However, those are relatively small negatives, and if you’re a fan of Fawlty Towers, I mean, who isn’t, I think this book is worth your time.
This book is presented by its title as John Cleese’s favourite moments. Yet, I found it a more technical book on Cleese’s take on why comedy works in general and why certain comedic scenes and episodes in Fawlty Towers work. He often does this by describing his writing process (with Connie Booth). Even if that’s right up my street, I’m not sure it will be to everyone’s taste.
It covers all twelve episodes, providing a recap of each one and highlighting certain scenes. It gives notes on the actors who appeared and some background information on each episode. As I said, there wasn't much I learned that was new, but it was still interesting to hear Cleese’s take on each episode.
As with his brilliant autobiography, I always find that John Cleese puts in a lot of time and effort into anything he does. A simple reason he’s successful. This book is no different. As for negatives, a few times strong swear words were used, which I found unnecessary, and the chapter on the stage show was a little over-fawning in my opinion. I would also have liked more of Connie Booth’s insights, rather than just a couple of pages at the end. However, those are relatively small negatives, and if you’re a fan of Fawlty Towers, I mean, who isn’t, I think this book is worth your time.
December 24, 2025
If you love Fawlty Towers, this is a must have.There are detailed notes and plot lines fior all 12 episodes and biographies of everyone, including all the guest stars. On top of that we get insights into how each episode was written and why there is four years between series one and two. If you don’t know what Fawlty Towers is, this great British comedy is streaming on Hulu right now I think. You wont be sorry!
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December 19, 2025Meh ... was looking for more anecdotes about the filming. Instead Cleese has produced a meditation on farce and how each episode did and did not achieve the title of farce. I've read that Andrew Sachs was seriously burned in the Germans episode but no mention of that. the last chapter about the show's afterlife was interesting.
December 3, 2025
Working backwards, my favourite 90s sitcom was Father Ted, 80s Blackadder and 70s Fawlty Towers, so I had to buy this. After finishing it, I will have to find my DVD boxset. This was a joy and an education to read. So many memories flooding back. Great stuff.
November 19, 2025
Five stars, despite the 'fawlt' on page 224 where it says about Cleese, 'his young ears would became attuned to...'
December 23, 2025
Fawlty explanations
Fawlty Towers needs no elaborate - read boring- explanations. Cleese must know that. So why take the trouble? He must be getting old....oh he is, sorry.
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Fawlty Towers needs no elaborate - read boring- explanations. Cleese must know that. So why take the trouble? He must be getting old....oh he is, sorry.
.
December 2, 2025
This is a celebration of the classic TV show Fawlty Towers 50th Anniversary! Filled with photos, sketches, floor plans and interviews/information about the different characters throughout the show. I love Fawlty Towers and have watched it so many times, so the information in the book was interesting, some of it though I had read or heard before. I liked that John Cleese wrote it and you were able to get first hand accounts of what happened on set. Would make a good book for a Fawlty Towers fan.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews