'Hyacinth Bucket was one of the most iconic performances in British comedy'

Dame Patricia Routledge – Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances –  has died at the age of 96. 

Her agent said she ‘died peacefully in her sleep this morning surrounded by love’.

In a statement they added: ‘Even at 96-years old, Dame Patricia’s passion for her work and for connecting with live audiences never waned, just as new generations of audiences have continued to find her through her beloved television roles.

'She will be dearly missed by those closest to her and by her devoted admirers around the world.'

Keeping Up Appearances ran for five series, between 1990 and 1995 and became the BBC's most exported programme ever.

Dame Patricia, from Birkenhead, won a British Comedy Award in 1991 for her performance and she was also nominated for two Baftas.

She began her acting career at the Liverpool Playhouse and had a long career in theatre, winning the 1968 Tony Award for best actress in a musical for her role in Darling Of The Day on Broadway, and the 1988 Olivier Award in the same category for Candide in the West End.

Early TV appearances include roles in Steptoe and Son as a clairvoyant called Madame Fontana, as a white witch in Doctor at Large and in an ITV presentation of Hobson's Choice opposite Michael Caine.

She came to wider prominence during the 1980s in monologues written by Alan Bennett and Victoria Wood. She also starred as Hetty Wainthropp in the Nineties detective series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates.

In 1990, Routledge was cast as Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances, but quit in 1995, despite the series' ongoing popularity, as she wished to pursue other roles.

In one interview, she said: 'I always thought of the great, great Ronnie Barker. He always left something when he was on a high, and it's much better to have people say now "Oh, why didn't you do some more" than having them say "Oh, is that still on."'

Another reason she gave was that she felt that the writer Roy Clarke – who also created Last of the Summer Wine and Open All Hours – was 'recycling some old ideas that we'd already dealt with'.

The show ran for five series and 44 episodes, and attracted large audiences in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Northern Europe.

Jon Petrie, the BBC's director of comedy, said today: 'We are so sad to hear of the passing of Dame Patricia Routledge. She was an actor of remarkable range, but her portrayal of Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances has to be one of the most iconic performances in British comedy.

'She took a character on the page and gave her such truth, precision and warmth that Hyacinth became part of the national conversation; instantly recognisable, endlessly quotable, and loved around the world.

'Whatever she did, she brought impeccable craft, and in doing so inspired generations of writers, performers and audiences. Dame Patricia made millions laugh and left a legacy that will always be remembered with gratitude and admiration.'

The star was made an OBE in 1993, a CBE in 2004, and a dame in 2017 for her services to entertainment and charity. She never married and had no children. 

Published: 3 Oct 2025