Casting announced for Fawlty Towers-The Play coming to Liverpool & it includes Eastenders & Strictly stars

Following the hugely successful and critically acclaimed West End run earlier this year and a return three-month summer season this June, Fawlty Towers - The Play will embark on a major 10-month tour between September 2025 - July 2026 with a stop in Liverpool this winter.

The play is an adaption of the BAFTA Award-winning sitcom of the same name which was voted the best British programme of all time in a British Film Institute poll.

Take a look below at everything we know about Fawlty Towers- The Play with casting having now been announced.

What can we expect from the play?

Nearly 50 years since Fawlty Towers was first broadcast on BBC Two on 19 September 1975, comedy legend John Cleese, who originally co-wrote the iconic sitcom with Connie Booth, has chosen three of his favourite original TV episodes - ‘The Hotel Inspector’ and ‘The Germans’ from series one and ‘Communication Problems’ from series two - and adapted them into a two-hour play, complete with a new finale.

Theatre goers across the country are in for a treat as this “comedy masterpiece makes a seamless transition to the stage” (The Arts Desk) to deliver “an indisputably funny evening” (Daily Telegraph), as “from the moment Basil walks on stage, the audience start laughing” (Daily Mail) whilst watching “some of the best punchlines ever written” (London Theatre). To quote Broadway World; “if you loved the original TV series, you will adore this show”.  

The plot reads: “Following a tip off that hotel inspectors may be visiting and eager to impress, Basil attempts to ingratiate himself with guests that he suspects are there to critique the establishment. The situation is further plagued by a party of Germans, the deaf and dotty guest-from-hell, Mrs Richards, whose infuriating complaints prevent him from hiding a gambling win from his ever vigilant and bossy wife, Sybil. Together they run their hotel with a little help from theunflappable Polly, and very little help at all from Manuel, the trainee waiter from Barcelona who is the butt of Fawlty’s frustration.”

Who makes up the cast?

Directed by originating West End director Caroline Jay Ranger, the touring production of Fawlty Towers- The Play stars returning cast members Danny Bayne -who now plays Basil Fawlty rather then Mr Walt/Dr Finn in the Apollo Theatre run-, Mia Austen returning as Sybil, Hemi Yeroham as Manuel, former Strictly Come Dancing professional Joanne Clifton as Polly, Jemma Churchill as Mrs Richards and then TV star Paul Nicholas reprising his role as The Major.

80-year-old Paul is best known for starring as Vince Pinner in the BBC sitcom Just Good Friends (1983—86) but he also appeared in 48 episodes of the ITV medical drama The Royal Today in 2008 and played bad guy Gavin Sullivan in Eastenders between 2015 and 2016.

The play also features other beloved characters from the original TV sitcom: Mr Hutchinson / Wilhelm played by Greg Haiste; Miss Tibbs played by Emily Winter; Miss Gatsby played by Dawn Buckland; Mr Thurston / Günter played by John Hasler; Mr Walt played by Adam Elliott; Taxi Driver/ Mr Firkins / Mr Kerr / Mr Sharp played by Neil Stewart; and Johanna and Liz (Hotel Guest) played by Josie Brightwell.

Completing the company of players are Ashleigh Harvey playing Debbie (Hotel Guest), Ben Jacobson playing Ken (Hotel Guest), Matthew Gordon playing Mr Dale (Hotel Guest) and Raymond Rose playing Philip (Hotel Guest).

What has John Cleese said about the production?

John Cleese said: “I’m thrilled with the top-class group of comedy actors that we’v assembled for the UK tour of Fawlty Towers - The Play which begins in September. September also marks exactly 50 years since the first ever TV episode was broadcast on the BBC. I never thought that all these years later the stage show would get the reception that it has. But here we are, still making theatres rock with laughter.”

When is it coming to Liverpool?

Fawlty Towers - The Play arrives at Liverpool Empire between November 11 and November 15 2025.

Where can I get tickets?

Tickets are on sale now from FawltyTowersTour.co.uk.

You can also get tickets straight from the venues.

Where else is the show going?

The full tour list is as follows:

2025

September 30-October 4: Bromley Churchill Theatre

October 7-11: Eastbourne Congress Theatre

October 14-18: Bournemouth Pavilion

October 21-25: New Wimbledon Theatre

October 28-November 1: Wycombe Swan Theatre

November 4-8: Manchester Opera House

November 11-15: Liverpool Empire

November 18-22: Northampton Royal & Derngate

November 25-29: Southend Cliffs Pavilion

December 1-6: Plymouth Theatre Royal

December 9-20: Guildford G Live

2026

January 6-10: Leeds Grand Theatre

January 13-17: Glasgow King’s Theatre

January 20-24: Aberdeen Music Hall

January 27-31: Edinburgh Playhouse

February 3-7: Sunderland Empire

February 10-21: Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

February 24-28: Stoke Regent Theatre

March 3-7: Southampton Mayflower

March 10-14: Ipswich Regent Theatre

March 17-21: Birmingham New Alexandra Theatre

March 24-28: Bradford Alhambra Theatre

April 2-4: Blackpool Opera House

April 14-18: Torquay Princess Theatre

April 21-25: Truro Hall for Cornwall

April 28-May 2: Milton Keynes Theatre

May 5-9: Llandudno Venue Cymru

May 12-16: Hull New Theatre

May 19-23: York Grand Opera House

May 26-30: Woking New Victoria Theatre

June 2-6: Nottingham Theatre Royal

June 9-13: Norwich Theatre Royal

June 16-20: Portsmouth Kings Theatre

June 23-27: Cardiff Wales Millenium Centre

June 30- July 4: Newcastle Theatre Royal

July 7-11: Dartford Orchard Theatre

July 14-18: Oxford New Theatre

July 21-25: Dublin Bord Gais Theatre – on sale soon