Dame Patricia Routledge, known to millions as Hyacinth Bucket on beloved sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, has died at the age of 96. 

The comedy followed the trials and tribulations of snobby Mrs Bucket (pronounced ‘Bouquet’) as she attempted to climb the social ladder.

The BBC show ran for five series, between 1990 and 1995 and in 2001 was listed amongst Channel 4’s Greatest 100 sitcoms of all time.

In a statement, Dame Patricia’s agent expressed: ‘We are deeply saddened to confirm the passing of Dame Patricia Routledge, who died peacefully in her sleep this morning surrounded by love.

‘Even at 96 years old, Dame Patricia’s dedication to her work and her connection with live audiences never diminished, as new generations of viewers continued to discover her through her cherished television roles.

‘She will be dearly missed by those closest to her and by her devoted admirers around the world.’ A cause of death was not revealed. 

Dame Patricia Routledge, known to millions as Hyacinth Bucket on beloved sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, has died at the age of 96 (pictured in 2017)

The comedy chronicled the adventures of the pretentious Mrs. Bucket (pronounced ‘Bouquet’) as she endeavored to advance socially (pictured in 1992 with co-star Clive Swift)

Patricia – who was born in Tranmere, Merseyside, in February 1929 – had many acting credits to her name.

She made her professional debut as an actress at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1952 and was a long-standing member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. 

Patricia was also a familiar face on the West End stage, performing in shows such as The Importance of Being Earnest, Little Mary Sunshine, and Noises Off.

In 1968, Patricia earned a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in Darling of the Day. And in 1988, she received an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for Candide.

However, Patricia’s most notable role came in 1990, playing Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances.

During an interview in October 2024, Patricia disclosed she has little tolerance for careless speech and ‘can’t stand’ how people drop their h’s and ‘now the “ks” and “gs” are going the same way,’ she remarked.

The theatrical grande dame also revealed she is a traditionalist when it comes to gendered language. ‘I’m an actress, not an actor, by the way,’ she said. 

Almost three decades on since the last series of Keeping Up Appearances, the star also revealed she still received letters from fans of the show.

In a statement, Dame Patricia’s agent said: ‘We are deeply saddened to confirm the passing of Dame Patricia Routledge, who died peacefully in her sleep this morning surrounded by love’

‘She will be dearly missed by those closest to her and by her devoted admirers around the world,’ they added (pictured on Keeping up Appearances)

Keeping up Appearances ran for five series, between 1990 and 1995 and in 2001 was listed amongst Channel 4 ‘s Greatest 100 sitcoms of all time

She made her professional debut as an actress at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1952 and was a long-standing member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (pictured in How’s the World Treating You in 1966)

Patricia, from Cheshire, won a British Comedy Award in 1991 for her performance in Keeping Up Appearances and she was also nominated for two BAFTA awards (pictured in 1992)

She said: ‘I get letters still from all over the world even though we made the last series in 1995.

‘I had a letter from a lad of nine or 10 a few weeks ago saying how much the family enjoy it and watch it together.’ 

Patricia continued: ‘He said, “my dad’s been laughing at a woman like you across the road for years”. Wonderful.

‘Fans in America still hold candlelight suppers (infamously organised by Hyacinth in the TV series) and invite me. People like it because there’s no smut.’

Tributes poured in for Patricia after the news of her death. Taking to social media, etiquette expert William Hanson wrote: ‘Now off the candlelight supper in the sky. Thank you for everything.

Actor James Dreyfus added: ‘We just lost a truly formidable, talented and brilliant actress. One of the very best.’

Others wrote: ‘Farewell Mrs. Bucket. Thank you for all the wonderful memories. May you Rest In Peace’… ‘God bless her, she is an icon and always will be.’

‘She was one of the stalwarts of TV. Her Keeping Up Appearances character will forever be remembered as one of the funniest roles ever.’

‘Tremendously sad. She was incredible in this role, massive part of my childhood.’

‘Dame Patricia Routledge could do it all. Expert comedienne, superb dramatic actress, accomplished singer and performer, but above all, a wonderful, wise and captivating person. We have lost a remarkable woman, and a true national treasure.’

Tributes poured in for Patricia after the news of her death

Although she has fond memories of the character – one of her two best-known television roles along with detective Hetty Wainthrop, and for which she did ‘all but two’ of her own stunts – she stressed: ‘I’m not like her, of course.’ 

Dame Patricia, speaking in a talk about her career at Derby Theatre, told how she began in showbusiness as an assistant stage manager at Liverpool Playhouse, so ‘I know all about being a dogsbody’.

As well as sweeping the stage, the actress said her work led to her interrupting performers in their dressing rooms.

‘I wasn’t much cared for, disturbing the little liaisons going on. I knew about the affairs,’ she recalled.

But after receiving classical training for her singing, a career in musical theatre took off, taking her to Broadway in New York where she impressed legendary figures.

Composer Richard Rodgers – who with Oscar Hammerstein and Lorenz Hart created some of the most iconic musicals – came unannounced to see her in a show.

Dame Patricia said: ‘At the interval, I found a note in my dressing room from Richard Rodgers saying, ‘I’m here to see the show, would you please call my office on Monday. I did the second half half-paralysed.

‘I rang the office and arranged to go and see him. He was very complimentary and said, I want to write a musical for you. Who does that happen to?

‘We tried to find the right subject and character but couldn’t hit on the right one. (Fellow actress) Katharine Cornell made a suggestion which I didn’t pass on, Joan of Arc. I didn’t do it but I should have. I did perform in a musical written by him, though, as Nettie Fowler in Carousel.’

She also recalled how Leonard Bernstein travelled from the US to London especially to audition her for a role in in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, a musical about the history of the White House which ran briefly on Broadway in 1976.

Dame Patricia performed Duet for One, a musical about ‘two prospective First Ladies’ – playing them both.

‘One was a dizzy, high-pitched wife, the other a growly German,’ she said. Dame Patricia put on a different wig for each character, and ‘became good friends’ with Bernstein, keeping in touch with him and going to his 70th birthday in 1988, two years before his death. 

She received her CBE from the Queen in 1993

The actress was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire by the the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in 2017

In 2024, almost three decades on since the last series of Keeping Up Appearances, the star revealed that she still received letters from fans of the show

Recently, Keeping Up Appearances was given a viewer discretion warning for its release on the streaming service BritBox back in 2021.

The family sitcom featured several jokes that have fallen foul of modern-day channel bosses.

In one episode Hyacinth and her husband visit her sister in the country and encounter a posh, well-spoken man.

Hyacinth then tells her husband that the stranger is ‘quent’, meaning eloquent, and ‘quent as a £4 note’.

In another episode, many of the show’s characters make jokes about a Polish person where they interrogate his right to be living in the UK.

As a result, Britbox has now added a disclaimer warning viewers that the series ‘contains language and attitudes of the era that may offend’, the Daily Star reports.

The ITV and BBC streaming service said: ‘We review and refresh BritBox’s programme catalogue on an ongoing basis.

‘Programming on the service that contains potentially sensitive language or attitudes of their era has carried appropriate warnings since our launch in November 2019, to ensure the right guidance is in place for viewers who are choosing to watch on demand.’