Beloved Actress Patricia Routledge, Famous for Hyacinth Bucket, Passes Away at the Age of 96
Performer Dame Patricia Routledge, best known for playing the character Hyacinth Bucket in the beloved TV sitcom the series Keeping Up Appearances, has died at the age of 96, her agent announced.
Additionally, she featured in monologues by Alan Bennett and took on the role of BBC One's amateur detective Hetty Wainthropp.
"We are deeply saddened to announce the loss of Dame Patricia Routledge, who died peacefully in her sleep recently in the presence of family."
"Despite her advanced years, her love for performing and for engaging with theatergoers remained strong, just as modern audiences keep discovering her work through her cherished screen performances."
Her agent continued: "Her absence will be deeply felt by her inner circle and by her devoted admirers globally."
Decades of Performance
Dame Patricia was best known as Hyacinth Bucket - with the affected pronunciation "bouquet" - a comic creation who exemplified the extremes of English pretension and snobbery.
"She's an absolute monster and I had great fun with the role tremendously," the star said.
The series Keeping Up Appearances ran from 1990 until 1995, and a year later she was chosen as the most beloved female performer at the television awards.
She also earned praise on stage as well as screen after starting her career in the theatre in the 1950s.
With performances in the West End, she made a name in the US when she won the Broadway trophy for best lead actress in a musical on New York theater for Darling of the Day in 1968.
She proved equally skilled at serious drama as she was at musicals and comedy - she appeared in Shakespeare's histories at the Royal Shakespeare Company, then received an Laurence Olivier Award for best actress in a musical for the production Candide in the eighties.
The 80s also witnessed her emergence as a true national TV star - landing appearances by comedian Victoria Wood in her comedy series, and Alan Bennett in multiple solo performances, including her Bafta-nominated role, for which she received a British Academy nomination.
She garnered additional Bafta nods, for the popular sitcom, in 1992 and 1993, then headlined the central part as a retired woman on a mission to investigate mysteries in the series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates between 1996 to 1998.
She received an Order of the British Empire in the nineties, a Commander of the British Empire in the 2000s, and a dame in recent years.
An Enduring Impact
Through her unforgettable roles, Dame Patricia Routledge provided comedy and delight to countless viewers, leaving behind a rich collection of performances that will continue to be celebrated by fans into the future.
