Calls row boosts demand for Fawlty Towers DVDs

The BBC lewd calls row appears to have boosted demand for DVDs of Fawlty Towers - as well as Russell Brand’s comedy routines.

DVD rental website LoveFilm.com said Andrew Sachs has had the last laugh over the incident as waiter Manuel has been thrust back into the spotlight.

Demand for the Fawlty Towers back catalogue has gone up by more than 26% since the incident, as fans rush to get their hands on box sets.

Meanwhile, there has been a rise of 133% in rentals of Brand’s stand up DVDs - suggesting the controversy has not harmed his popularity with comedy fans, the website said.

Fliss White, head of the website’s brand marketing, said: “Whatever our comics get up to, it seems that any publicity is ultimately good publicity, with the recent controversial phone calls sparking an unexpected demand amongst UK comedy fans for both Sachs’s and Brand’s back catalogue.”