UK NEWS

REAL-LIFE FAWLTY IS FLOORED BY A GUEST

TV HERO: John Cleese

Saturday December 22,2007

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A REAL-life Basil Fawlty was beaten up by a hotel guest in an attack that mirrored an episode of the TV sitcom.

Eccentric Andy Hageman was punched and kneed in the groin by the man who complained of late-night noise.

Magistrates heard how he was wrestled to the floor at the reception by the man who said a wedding party had turned the Mortons House Hotel into “bedlam”.

Architect Ian Peters, 62, asked Mr Hageman to step outside after he was kept awake, the court at Blandford, Dorset, heard. The hotelier had told him: “What I can’t stand about people like you is you come and stay at my hotel and expect to be able not to pay for it.” Mr Peters then punched Mr Hageman, 42, in the face and wrestled him to the floor before kneeing him.

The brawl mirrored an attack by a guest, played by Bernard Cribbins, on Basil Fawlty, starring John Cleese, in an episode called The Hotel Inspectors.

Mr Peters, from Purley, south London, admitted a charge of assault by beating and was fined £375.

The hotelier, who runs the 16th century hotel in Corfe Castle was first compared to his sitcom hero by broadcaster Sue Lawley after she stayed there.

She wrote: “The hotel was supervised there by a man who clearly thought Fawlty Towers was a management training video. It’s just that Basil is not so funny in real life.”

Mr Hageman has written a book called Inn Keeping With Mr Fawlty. After the hearing he said: “The man asked me outside and then he started swinging at me.”

IRONSIDE - IT PROBLEMS.

22.12.07, 10:16am

I am having intermittent problems accessing commentary format since my reinstatement yesterday. Could you please forward your e-mail address to me - jeanbaker@spurland.freeserve.co.uk.

I feel it's wise to safeguard mutual contact. in the event of any unforeseen problems.

<Many thanks.

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