Cleese, 84, spoke to an onstage interviewer Alex Lovell Monday (27 August) in front of a few hundred close friends just ahead of the release of his new book 'John Cleese Live: Fawlty Towers at 50'.
Rare photographs of the actor and comedian show him discussing his classic sitcom creation Fawlty Towers (voted the UK’s greatest sitcom of all time) in an exclusive onstage event to raise funds for Bristol's Slapstick Festival.
He gave insight into the making of the iconic show and can be see laughing and joking along with the illustrative clips.
Slapstick Festival is a not-for-profit arts organisation dedicated to celebrating the golden age of screen comedy.
For over two decades, the festival has championed silent and classic comedy through live events that include big-screen presentations of silent film masterworks accompanied by live orchestral scores, as well as guest appearances from performers, historians, and comedians from around the world.
Scroll through for 21 photos from the exclusive onstage event with John Cleese.
1. John Cleese appears at the The Slapstick Festival
John Cleese appears at the The Slapstick Festival in Bristol to accept their Legacy Medal for his lifetime contribution to Comedy. He received the accolade at the end of an evening of conversation and video clips from Fawlty Towers, and Monty Python hosted by ITV West Presenter Alex Lovell. Slapstick Festival Director Chris Daniels presented him with the Legacy medal, previous recipients include Harry Hill, Sylvester McCoy and Chris Tarrant and The Tiswas Team. | David Betteridge / SWNS
2. John Cleese appears at the The Slapstick Festival in Bristol
David Betteridge / SWNS
3. John Cleese appears at the The Slapstick Festival in Bristol
David Betteridge / SWNS
4. John Cleese appears at the The Slapstick Festival in Bristol
David Betteridge / SWNS