Kerry Howard lands starring role in prequel

Kerry Howard is to play the young Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC's Keeping Up Appearances prequel.

The Him And Her star will play a version of the character made famous by Patricia Routledge in the one-off, which will air as part of the BBC's landmark sitcom season.

The new episode, written by the sitcom's original creator Roy Clarke, is set in the 1950s. The plot has Hyacinth bossing around her similarly floral-named sisters Daisy, Violet and Rose after their mother leaves.

Howard, 34, has previously starred in another BBC sitcom reboot, Reggie Perrin, and last year appeared with her comedian brother Russell in the BBC Two special A Gert Lush Christmas. The first episode of her BBC Three sitcom, in which she and Zoe Boyle play idiots on the witness protection scheme, is released on April 22.

New episodes of sitcoms including Steptoe and Son, Porridge and Till Death Us Do Part are being made as part of the BBC's celebrations marking 60 years since Hancock's Half Hour made the transition from radio to TV.

The corporation has recently found success with another vintage sitcom spin-off, Still Open All Hours, also written by Roy Clarke.

Published: 11 Apr 2016