John Cleese Criticizes BBC Comedy Executives Over Woke Culture Influence

John Cleese has vehemently criticized the BBC for its perceived timidity and excessive influence by "the nastiness of the extremely woke," arguing that the broadcaster has failed to commission truly funny content in years, with "The Office" being the last major comedic contribution. He recounted a recent meeting with BBC comedy executives where one left early and another was called "one of the most stupid men" he had ever met, highlighting a disconnect between the executives and comedy creators. Cleese accused the BBC of being "cowardly about offence," contrasting current leadership with past directors-general who openly accepted the need to offend some people for comedy's sake. He expressed frustration over bureaucratic, risk-averse processes that stifle creativity, noting that comedy now must be clean and safe, and revealed plans to write a book about the challenges of writing comedy today. Despite ruling out future work with the BBC, Cleese is actively developing a sequel to his stage adaptation of "Fawlty Towers," drawing from iconic episodes of the original series. His comments reflect a broader concern that the BBC undervalues classic British comedy, as evidenced by its limited promotion of Monty Python, which Cleese said many younger people have never heard of due to lack of exposure.