“Fine Style” Star patricia Rutledge Champions Vibrant Living at 96
LONDON – Patricia Rutledge, beloved for her iconic portrayal of Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced “Bouquet”) in the classic BBC comedy “Keeping the Faith” (known internationally as “Fine Style”), is inspiring audiences with a recent podcast appearance detailing her fulfilling life and positive outlook on aging. Now 96 years old, Rutledge shared anecdotes from her extensive acting career, current passions, and a powerful message of embracing life at any age.
Rutledge reflected on a career that didn’t fully blossom until later in life. “My life did not really take any particular form up to the age of forty,” she explained. “I had worked constantly – on the provincial stages, in radio plays and in West End productions, but I often felt excited about looking for homes that I hadn’t really found.”
Her breakthrough role came at age 50 with the part of Hyacinth Bucket.”I accepted the role… I think it will be a small role in a small series. I would never have imagined that it would take me into human living rooms and hearts around the world,” Rutledge recalled.
But her creativity didn’t stop there. At 60, she began studying Italian to sing in the original language. At 70, she returned to the Shakespeare Theater, believing it wasn’t too late to revisit her passion. in the 1980s, she discovered watercolor painting, finding inspiration in her garden and the faces she observed on the London Underground.
Today, Rutledge finds joy in simple pleasures, such as handwritten letters and quiet contemplation. “I’m learning to bake rye bread. I still breathe deeply every morning. I still adore laughter, even though I no longer try to make anyone laugh. I love the silence more than ever,” she shared.
Rutledge’s core message is one of continued growth and possibility. “Aging is not the closing process. It can be the most stunning chapter if you let yourself bloom again. Let these years be your treasure years! You don’t have to be famous.You don’t have to be perfect.”
born February 17, 1929, in Tranmere, Birkenhead, Rutledge has remained unmarried and without children, stating in a 2001 interview, “I did not make a deliberate decision not to marry and not be a mother. Life just turned out, as my involvement in acting was above all.”
Throughout her career,Rutledge has received numerous accolades,including two awards for Best Musical Actress and three Orders of the British Empire.
