Cleese: Poorly run business made me ‘rich’

A POORLY run family business was responsible for one of the most successful television shows of all time, comedian and actor John Cleese revealed last night.

Addressing guests at Thomas Crosbie Holdings’ (TCH) annual dinner, Mr Cleese revealed how the Donald Sinclair run Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay was the inspiration for Basil Fawlty and his much-loved show Fawlty Towers.

Speaking at the gala dinner in Cork last night, Mr Cleese revealed that if the Monty Python group, who were filming in the resort in 1971, had not stayed in Mr Sinclair’s hotel, the world may never have heard of Fawlty Towers.