Patricia Routledge, Beloved Star of ‘Keeping Up Appearances,’ Dies at 96
Dame Patricia Routledge, celebrated for her iconic portrayal of Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances and her role as Henrietta “Hetty” Wainthropp in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, has died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 96. Her agent confirmed the news, stating she passed “surrounded by love” this morning.
The statement highlighted Routledge’s enduring dedication to her craft, noting that “Even at 96 years old… her passion for her work and for connecting with live audiences never waned.” She will be “dearly missed by those closest to her and by her devoted admirers around the world.”
Born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, in 1929, Routledge’s career began in theater and musical theatre in 1952. She attended the University of Liverpool and the Bristol old Vic Theatre School, and made her Broadway debut in 1966 with How’s the World Treating You. Throughout her stage career, she earned both a Tony Award and an Olivier Award, and was a long-standing member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, appearing in productions such as Richard III alongside Antony Sher.
Routledge achieved further television success in the 1980s with appearances in Victoria wood: As Seen on TV and Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads, followed by Hetty Wainthropp Investigates in the 1990s. However, she became widely recognized for her role as the socially enterprising Hyacinth Bucket (who insisted her surname was pronounced “Bouquet“) in Keeping Up Appearances, which aired from 1990 to 1995. Her performance earned her two BAFTA nominations.
In a 2011 interview with The Guardian, Routledge expressed a pragmatic view of her association with the character, stating, “If everything focuses on that, it’s just too silly. But it would be churlish of me not to appreciate what it’s brought me. If a good number of people come into a theatre because they know me from the dreaded Mrs B, I couldn’t be happier.”
Tributes have poured in, including one from Jon Petrie, the BBC’s director of comedy, who described her portrayal of Hyacinth Bucket as “one of the most iconic performances in British comedy.” He added, “She took a character on the page and gave her such truth, precision and warmth that Hyacinth became part of the national conversation… Dame Patricia made millions laugh and left a legacy that will always be remembered with gratitude and admiration.”
Beyond her celebrated television roles, Routledge appeared in films such as To Sir, with Love (1967) and Don’t Raise the Bridge, Lower the river (1968), and made guest appearances in series including Steptoe and Son and Coronation Street. She also portrayed the ancient figure Hildegard of Bingen in a 1994 BBC docudrama.
Routledge resided in Chichester, West Sussex, from 2000 until her death. She was awarded a damehood in 2017 for her services to theatre and charity.
