In the 80s, his curly blonde locks and chiseled jawline earned him heartthrob status during his stint on Just Good Friends.
However, over 40 years later, Paul Nicholas finds himself portraying a vastly different character as the bumbling old Major in John Cleese's stage adaptation of his BBC hit series Fawlty Towers.
Reflecting on his role at 79 years old, he remarked, "Well, I've reached that stage in my life where Peter Pan is no longer an option."
I find myself at an age where roles like these often arise - recently, I portrayed Colonel Pickering, which isn't too far off from this one.
His remarks coincide with John Cleese's revelation that it only took him and his then-wife, Connie Booth, twenty minutes to conceive the concept for Fawlty Towers.
In the early 80s, Paul Nicholas captivated audiences as a heartthrob with his chiseled jaw and curly blonde hair. However, he's now taking on a different role, portraying the bumbling old Major in John Cleese's stage adaptation of Fawlty Towers.
In the West End show's cast photo, John Cleese stands alongside Victoria Fox, Hemi Yeroham, Adam Jackson-Smith, and Anna-Jane Casey, from right to left.
John Cleese is pictured with the original cast of the beloved BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers.
John Cleese arrived at the West End show's sneak peek sporting a grin, clad in blue jeans paired with dark brown and grey trainers. He wore a plain black t-shirt and topped it off with a light beige jacket.
In the new theatrical adaptation, Adam Jackson-Smith takes on the role of Basil Fawlty (left), starring alongside Paul Nicholas.
Despite the gloomy weather, Cleese and Nicholas pose together, both smiling. Nicholas is dressed sharply in a smart suit featuring grey trousers and a black double-breasted jacket adorned with gold buttons, complemented by a gold and blue tie.
As the West End stage adaptation of the beloved BBC series gears up for its inaugural run this Saturday, Cleese enthusiastically declared, "It's even better than its television counterpart."
Reflecting on the genesis of the show, the 84-year-old recounted, "I had lunch with Jimmy Gilmore, the BBC director and producer, and expressed my desire to move away from Monty Python projects. I mentioned that I wanted to collaborate with my wife because we share the same sense of humor, and she's a talented actress with a knack for dialogue."
"He advised me to discuss it with her and assured me of his support. Connie and I had a conversation that lasted about twenty minutes, during which we decided to set the series in a hotel where we had previously stayed while filming for Monty Python in Torquay. Connie had spent a considerable amount of time at the hotel, a detail often overlooked."
"The 12-episode sitcom draws inspiration from the real-life experiences of hotel owner Donald Sinclair, who managed the Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay. Both of us were captivated by his remarkably rude demeanor."
Cleese is pictured posing alongside a poster for his latest play, which he has personally adapted for the stage.
The cast takes the stage to perform the new play, adapted from the beloved BBC sitcom. This performance, followed by a Q&A session, offers the first genuine sneak peek of the eagerly awaited show.
John Cleese joins the cast for a Q&A session following the sneak peek performance. During the live session, Cleese expresses, "It surpasses the television version by far."asma
Cleese and Jackson-Smith are captured posing outside the Apollo Theatre in central London. It marks the 50th anniversary since the first show was recorded at the BBC studios in December 1974.
Cleese elaborated, "So I rang Jimmy Gilmore up and proposed, 'We'd like to set it in a hotel,' to which he readily agreed."
He reminisced about the BBC's modus operandi in those days, contrasting it with contemporary practices: "And that was how the BBC used to work back then - now it would go through three committees, none of whom would really have any idea what they were talking about."
Cleese was married to Ms. Booth, 83, from 1968 to 1978, after meeting on the comedy circuit while studying drama in New York. The couple co-wrote and starred opposite each other in both series of Fawlty Towers, with Ms. Booth portraying the chambermaid Polly Sherman. However, they divorced before the second series was completed and aired.asma
This year marks the 50th anniversary since the first show was recorded at the BBC studios in December 1974.
The new cast of the acclaimed show bears a striking resemblance to the original actors. The play was penned by Cleese and his wife, Connie Booth, though they had parted ways before the second series aired.
Cleese is seen posing with Anna-Jane Casey, who dons the iconic attire of her character Polly - a pink suit paired with a white ruffled blouse, complemented by her curly hair elegantly piled atop her head.
Cleese is photographed with his former wife Connie, who portrayed Sybil in the original BBC show. Although they divorced in 1978, rumors abound that Booth may make a surprise appearance in the West End revival.asma
Now, the creator of Monty Python has transformed his acclaimed series into a stage production, set to debut this Saturday at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue in London.
Cleese confidently declared today, "The stage show surpasses its television counterpart."asma
Reports suggest that Ms. Booth, who resides in North London with her second husband, the renowned American theatre critic John Lahr, plans to attend the West End revival.
According to Mr. Lahr, "She'll be going to see it - probably not on opening night but she'll be there."
A source added, "She is looking forward to seeing it but prefers to maintain a low profile these days and stay out of the limelight."