Cleese changes his tune to return to the BBC
JOHN Cleese is to return to the BBC with a new television series – despite vowing he would never work for the Corporation again.
The 76-year-old is to star in romantic comedy Edith, which follows several men vying for the affection of the title character.
Planning for the sitcom is still in early stages, with the full cast and dates yet to be arranged. However, the Monty Python star’s role marks a dramatic change of tune.
Last year he told Shortlist magazine: ‘There’s no way I want to work in TV, especially at the BBC.’ A year earlier he said that since his days in Fawlty Towers, the ‘simple process [for comedy], which worked wonderfully at the BBC, has been lost’.
‘Now you have a new species, a commissioning editor, who as far as I can make out haven’t written comedy,’ he said. ‘This would be fine if they understood it, but comedy is difficult. There’s an awful amount of c**p.’
A BBC insider told The Mail on Sunday: ‘It’s no secret there was a falling-out with John but he’s an immense talent and it’s great to have him back.’
However, Cleese has remained tight-lipped. He said: ‘Things with the BBC are at an early stage, so there’s little to say.’
A BBC source said yesterday: ‘The show has not yet been commissioned and there are key decisions to be made about casting.’
Cleese made headlines earlier this month when he referred to Fraser Nelson, the editor of The Spectator, as a ‘half-educated tenement Scot,’ sparking accusations of racism.
He attacked Nelson, who had defended the newspaper sting on England’s now ex-manager, Sam Allardyce.
Cleese wrote on Twitter: ‘Why do we let half-educated tenement Scots run our English press?’