Long thought lost and recently rediscovered in a milk churn at the base of the pirate statue in the clubhouse bar, we bring you...

EPISODE ONE: A TOUCH OF CLASS

by Edward Teach

Optimism is rife in Fawlty Rovers after a caravan holiday around the Isle of Man. Polly is getting plenty of attention from Basil who has taken over the dull grey hotel in North Bristol. A lick of paint later and some slightly surreal posters on the cloakroom walls and the season is off and running.

An impressive day trip to see how things are run at a quality Mansfield hotel illuminates the holiday season as Manuel dances merry rings around the local staff with a skip in his step. Sybil is looking into the possibility of asking O'Reilly to improve the look of the place with some nice new seats and a roof. Even the Major is holding onto the plot as firmly as Basil does to Polly.

Talking of roofs, Basil soon hotfoots it up to the aforementioned pinnacle to yell down at his staff as they bound around the green room in front of the enthusiastic guests. However, the Major finally loses his tenuous grip on the plot and various visitors from across the country soon throw spanners in the works that Basil would happily use on the misfortunate Manuel, should his head come within range.

A few comedy errors and pratfalls later and the meals soon end up in the collective laps of one and all and Basil has to explain the various failings to a fuming Sybil and her disgruntled regulars. Instead he attempts to divert attention from the evident problems by making up some spectacularly off the wall excuses that lead Sybil to consider calling the doctor. To say nothing of his attack on the bus with a large branch after it breaks down on the way to an evening meal in Carlisle.

And to think Miss Gatsby and Miss Tibbs were almost prepared to ramble off to the bookies and place a few of their pension pennies on Basil actually making a success of Fawlty Rovers. For now their money remains tightly in their crocheted purses and their feet firmly on the ground. Which is more than can be said for Basil as the roof appears to be more and more welcoming for the lonely hotelier.