A man was gobsmacked after discovering an original Fawlty Towers script in the home of a deceased family member. He was clearing out a drawer when he came across the rare find - there were only 12 episodes of the BBC sitcom made.
The script details series 2 episode 'Waldorf Salad' and sold for a staggering £12,000 at East Bristol Auctions, based in Hanham. Its description says: "Originally recorded as the first episode of the second series, the episode was later shown as the third episode. Dated 21st January 1979, and running to 98 printed pages on yellow paper. Retains the original script fastener to corner. Front cover loose.
"Originally owned by a BBC cameraman, the script represents an important piece of British comedy history. "
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Andy Stowe at the auction house said: "The script ended up selling for a record-breaking £12,000. Previously, the known record for sitcom script from the famous Jolly Boys' Outing episode of Only Fools & Horses."
TV scripts normally sell for around £500, but bidders went wild for this classic and the money soon shot up.
The news comes as Weston actor John Cleese is set to star in a brand new series of Fawlty Towers alongside his daughter, Camilla.
Featuring some of the original cast, the much-loved sitcom is being revived by Castle Rock Entertainment. It's understood the series will explore how cynical Basil navigates the modern world.
Cleese, who was born in Weston-super-Mare, said: “What I like about Matt is that, unlike many producers, he really ‘gets’ the creative process. When we first met, he offered an excellent first idea, and then Matt, my daughter Camilla, and I had one of the best creative sessions I can remember.
“By dessert, we had an overall concept so good that, a few days later, it won the approval of Rob and Michele Reiner. Camilla and I look forward enormously to expanding it into a series.”
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