Polly Sherman
Polly Sherman is a fictional character from the BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers. Played by Connie Booth, she works as the hotel’s waitress and maid. Polly is one of only four staff seen at the hotel, alongside Manuel, Terry, and the briefly seen chef Kurt. She sometimes jokes that she is part‑time, but she mainly keeps the rooms clean and helps with other tasks for extra money.
Polly is the most sensible person in the show and often serves as Basil’s voice of reason. She is incredibly loyal to Basil, usually sticking by him and trying to keep his secrets from Sybil, though she will stand up to him if he goes too far.
Her loyalty leads to funny disguises and schemes. In The Builders she pretends to be Mr. Stubbs’s secretary, and in Communication Problems she pretends that Basil’s winnings on a horse belong to her. In Basil the Rat she even tries to sell a painting she made and uses a lie to attract a buyer.
Polly is also shown as an art student for three years. She draws portraits and caricatures, and sometimes sells them—Basil’s friends tease him with her drawings. In Gourmet Night she sells a portrait of Manuel to the new chef, and Sybil buys one too to annoy Basil. In The Wedding Party, Basil’s curiosity about her life-drawing book leads to a cheeky moment.
Polly can speak multiple languages and sometimes translates for Manuel, even using German with guests in The Germans. Connie Booth, who played Polly, had not done much TV acting before and wanted Polly to be a relatively small role, but the character became a steady beacon of sanity in the show. John Cleese praised Booth’s performance, especially in a scene from The Anniversary.
Polly’s first appearance was A Touch of Class (1975) and her last was Basil the Rat (1979). She is British.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 19:31 (CET).