Hotelier Basil Fawlty has come to the defence of his old friend Antony Wally Thomson after the TV chef was arrested stealing wine and cheese on five separate occasions from down on their luck supermarket Tesburys.
Speaking to trade magazine 'Hotel Cheese Monthly' he said "Look come on - cut the man some slack - it's only a bit of cheese for Jiminy's sake. Not so long ago the Irish goverment give a lump of cheese to every resident, why shouldn't wozza take a piece from that supermarket? HE's getting help for his problems - don't forget he has to live with the stigma of what he's done - and he's ginger!"
The five incidents were recorded on the store's CCTV, Mr Wally said at the time that he forget to pay for the items at the self service.
