The Germans have enlisted Basil Fawlty to ensure that the Brits do not mention the war.

Now, 31 years after the television series was made, Cleese is again advising the British "not to mention the war", only this time at the behest of Germany.

The 66-year-old actor is endorsing an essay competition - called "But don't mention the war" - organised by the German embassy in London, which encourages British students to write 3,000 words about modern Germany