Who played the difficult guest Mrs Richards?

Joan Sanderson played the difficult guest Mrs Richards in Fawlty Towers.

Mrs Richards appears in “Communication Problems”, the seventh episode of the sitcom. She is elderly, extremely hard of hearing, demanding and blunt, creating one of Basil Fawlty’s most memorable confrontations. Her repeated misunderstandings turn an ordinary hotel stay into a battle over rooms, payments and basic courtesy.

Sanderson was an English actress with a long stage and television career. Before Fawlty Towers, she was known for roles in series including Please Sir! and Rising Damp. Her commanding presence made her particularly effective as formidable, socially intimidating characters, which suited Mrs Richards perfectly.

The other options are associated with different Fawlty Towers appearances. Pat Keen, Christine Shaw and Una Stubbs appear in “The Anniversary”, but none played Mrs Richards. The character is often remembered simply as “the difficult guest”, while the episode’s official title is “Communication Problems”.