Keeping Up Appearances star Patricia Routledge dies aged 96

Patricia Routledge and Clive Swift in ‘Keeping Up Appearances.’ (BBC)

Patricia Routledge, best known for her role as Hyacinth Bucket in BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, has died at the age of 96, her agent said.

She played the hilariously snobbish character on the BBC programme in the early 1990s, but also had a prolific career in the theatre.

A statement said: “We are deeply saddened to confirm the passing of Dame Patricia Routledge, who died peacefully in her sleep this morning surrounded by love.

“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.” 

Ms Routledge won an Olivier Award for her role as the Old Lady in Leonard Bernstein’s operetta Candide in 1988, and a Tony Award for her part as Alice Challice in Darling Of The Day in 1968, and worked in a number of productions across six decades.

She was born in Birkenhead, Merseyside where her father was a high-class gents’ outfitter where ‘keeping up appearances’ was the name of the game.

She read English at Liverpool University where she appeared in student shows, later making her professional debut at the Liverpool Playhouse.

She debuted in London two years later and went on to became well known on Broadway, appearing in musicals and the play, How’s The World Treating You?

Alongside the stage she also made her mark on TV and became known for playing Kitty in Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV in the mid-1980s before playing Hyacinth in the BBC’s Keeping Up Appearances.