Basil Fawlty coming to a phone screen near you

Users of Vodafone live! in the UK will be able to download Fawlty Towers excerpts, together with other BBC comedies, directly to their handsets for the first time, following a deal between BBC Worldwide and Vodafone UK.

The service, which includes classic scenes such as Basil beating up his car, Sybil beating up the builder and Manuel getting beaten up by just about everybody, will be delivered via video-enabled mobile phones to Vodafone live! subscribers.

The deal, which represents the first of its kind for BBC Worldwide, was concluded following consultation and negotiation with on-screen talent, writers and/or their representatives to ensure all contributors and rights' holders benefit from this new business activity, which BBC Worldwide expects to grow rapidly.

Jonathan Crane, Director of Commercial Broadband & Interactive Television at BBC Worldwide said: "Licensing BBC comedy sequences to Vodafone live! is a genuinely groundbreaking deal for us.

Accessing video via handsets is now a reality for us all, and as demand grows, BBC Worldwide is poised to provide a range of great video content to these new mobile services."

Fawlty Towers continues to be one of the UK's most enduring comedies and remains one of BBC Worldwide's most internationally successful programmes, with sales to broadcasters in over 70 countries, including India, Russia and Thailand.

For further information, please contact Mary Collins on +44 208 433 2412, or email mary.Collins@bbc.co.uk