Which BBC channel originally broadcast Fawlty Towers?

Fawlty Towers originally broadcast on BBC Two. The first series premiered on 19 September 1975, and the second series followed in 1979, with both series receiving their initial UK transmissions on the BBC’s second television channel.

The sitcom was written by John Cleese and Connie Booth and consisted of only two series, each containing six episodes. Its setting was a dysfunctional hotel in Torquay, Devon, but the programme was produced for the BBC rather than filmed as a continuing production inside a real Torquay hotel.

The first series initially received poor reviews, yet its reputation grew rapidly through repeats and word of mouth. It was later repeated on BBC One, which can cause confusion about the original channel. BBC Two was the original home; BBC One exposure came afterward and helped introduce the series to a larger audience.

The second series did not air immediately after the first. A gap of more than three years separated the two runs, making the programme’s compact total of 12 episodes especially distinctive. Despite its small output, Fawlty Towers became one of Britain’s best-known sitcoms.