🔗 Share this article Beloved Star Patricia Routledge, Famous for Keeping Up Appearances, Passes Away at 96 Years Old Performer Dame Patricia Routledge, best known for embodying the character Hyacinth Bucket in the classic TV sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, has died at the age of 96, her agent announced. Additionally, she appeared in monologues by Alan Bennett and played the BBC's crime-solving retiree Hetty Wainthropp. "It is with great sadness to announce the loss of Dame Patricia Routledge, who left this world peacefully in her sleep recently with loved ones near." "At the remarkable age of 96, her passion for her work and for reaching out to fans never waned, just as new generations have continued to find her through her cherished screen performances." The statement added: "She leaves a void by her family and friends and by her devoted admirers worldwide." Patricia Routledge playing the iconic Hyacinth with actor Clive Swift portraying Richard, her beleaguered husband in the beloved sitcom Decades of Performance Dame Patricia was primarily recognized as the character Hyacinth Bucket - who insisted it be said "bouquet" - a humorous character who embodied the peak of affectation and class consciousness. "She is a wonderfully awful character and I had great fun with the role immensely," the performer remarked. This classic sitcom aired from 1990 to 95, and a year later she was voted the UK's favorite actress at the BBC's 60th anniversary awards. She also found acclaim both live and recorded after beginning her professional life in the stage in the 1950s era. With performances in the West End, she built a reputation in the America when she received the Tony Award for leading musical performer on New York theater for the musical Darling of the Day in 1968. She proved equally skilled at intense theater as she was at light entertainment - she took part in Shakespeare's histories at the prestigious theater company, then received an Olivier Award for best actress in a musical for Candide in the 1980s decade. That decade also witnessed her emergence as a true national TV star - landing appearances by comedian Victoria Wood in As Seen on TV, and writer Alan Bennett in multiple solo performances, including 1988's A Lady of Letters, for which she received a British Academy nomination. She earned more award nominations, for the popular sitcom, in 1992 and 1993, then headlined the title role as a senior citizen on a journey into detective work in BBC One's Hetty Wainthropp Investigates between 1996 and 98. She received an OBE in 1993, a CBE in the 2000s, and the title of Dame in 2017. A Lasting Legacy Through her memorable characters, Patricia Routledge brought laughter and delight to countless viewers, leaving behind a impressive body of work that remains cherished by fans for generations to come.