John Cleese rages that ‘British people deserve better than the BBC’ as he claims the channel is too easily influenced by the ‘nastiness of the extremely woke’

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In a frank recent conversation, John Cleese voiced his discontent towards the BBC, expressing frustration that British viewers deserve more quality content than what the station provides due to its apparent vulnerability to influence from the overly-progressive or ‘excessively woke’ community.

The actor from Fawlty Towers, now 85 years old, asserted that for a long time, the corporation has not produced any humorous content. During a conversation about potential upcoming work, he shared his encounter with the executives.

In an interview, the actor who played in Fawlty Towers (aged 85) stated that the corporation hasn’t created anything amusing for years. He spoke about his discussions with executives regarding prospective future ventures.

In a conversation with The Radio Times, he shared that he recently interacted with two individuals from BBC Comedy. Unfortunately, one had to abruptly depart from the meeting, while the other individual, according to him, was exceptionally unintelligent – one of the least knowledgeable people he’s ever encountered.

The individual remarked to the publication, “What was their most recent notable production? Was it ‘The Office,’ and how many years have passed since then? That show significantly impacted society. Presently, let me make this clear…let me speak honestly…

Later, he shared his account of the discussion with BBC Comedy, stating, ‘We came up with some amusing concepts, but they didn’t find them appealing. They weren’t what they were seeking. They seemed to be searching for Basil Fawlty in a ship or similar ideas.’

They appeared quite enthusiastic about the seemingly impossible concept, yet I couldn’t help but think of saying to him, “To be honest, you might not fully grasp the implications of this plan.

Currently, those in power seem to be entirely clueless about the situation. The authors truly deserve more respect than they’re currently receiving. The public of Britain deserves far better treatment than what they’re experiencing now.

He added that he thinks the the BBC is ‘cowardly about offence’. 

John pointed out that we’re far removed from the times when a BBC director-general could say, ‘It’s beneficial to upset certain individuals.’

Currently, they are heavily swayed by the intense fervor and harshness of overly progressive individuals, leading some humor to be set aside due to concerns that executives might receive criticism during dinner hours.

‘They don’t seem to realise you tease people, you’re rude to people, that you’re fond of.’

The BBC declined to comment when contacted by The Daily Mail over his remarks.  

His comments in The Radio Times came shortly after he blasted them again earlier this month.

He viciously criticized BBC managers whom he deemed uninformed, stating they lack understanding of their roles – and once more attributed the decline of British humor to censorship focused on political correctness.

Legendary comedian collaborated on the popular sitcom Fawlty Towers with his co-actor and spouse at the time, Connie Booth.

Two shows from the 1970s, despite only airing a couple, have indelibly left their mark on British comedy lore, showcasing exceptional writing and impeccable comedic delivery.

However, Cleese, famously known for his role as the exasperated and continuously frustrated hotel owner Basil Fawlty, emphatically stated that viewers would not witness any more of his work airing on the BBC in the future.

At the Slapstick comedy festival in Bristol, set for early September, Cleese lamented about the broadcaster, commenting that any new script must pass through a committee, most of whom seem unaware of their responsibilities.

It seems that humor akin to ‘The Office’ has been hard to find lately, and this lack may stem from those in authority struggling to create comedic content of similar quality.

‘The whole process has been replaced by a bureaucratic process which does not begin to work.’

Eric Idle, a renowned figure from Monty Python, expressed his sorrow over the shift in the quality of British comedy, stating, “Once upon a time, we were exceptional in comedy, but now it seems we’ve lost our touch, which is truly unfortunate.

Initially, there were no standing committees in place. Today, comedy requires a clean approach and avoiding humor solely for laughter’s sake is crucial. In an effort to educate others on the challenging aspects of crafting comedy, I will pen a book about the art.

In a sharp critique, Cleese further remarked, “Those coordinating comedy aren’t usually brilliant, but currently, especially within the BBC, they seem to be utterly lacking insight.

It seems that not everyone may be equally skilled, with the exception perhaps being within the executive ranks. However, it appears they might lack understanding or experience rather than inherent talent.

Enthusiasts of the beloved show “Fawlty Towers” will be thrilled to hear that the talented man behind it, Monty Python’s John Cleese, is currently developing a follow-up to the highly successful 2016 stage version of the sitcom.

British comedian John Cleese, hailing from Bristol, is currently putting together drafts for a fresh series, drawing inspiration from three original television episodes.

In this group, there are two stories. One of them is “The Psychiatrist” in which Basil unintentionally touches a female guest’s breast while he tries to find the light switch. The other one is “The Kipper And The Corpse”, where the hotel staff are in a panic as they attempt to conceal the body of a deceased guest.

Last year, Fawlty Towers made a comeback as John Cleese staged a performance in London’s West End, and it has been praised with rave reviews.

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2025-09-09 17:50