Telegraph: My husband was not like Basil

The real-life Sybil Fawlty has defended her late husband, the hotel owner John Cleese based the character of Basil Fawlty on, as being nothing like his Fawlty Towers depiction. On the other hand, a waitress who worked there in a similar position to that of the series’ Polly argues it’s all very lifelike.