🔗 Share this article Acclaimed Star Patricia Routledge, Famous for Hyacinth Bucket, Passes Away at 96 Actress Dame Patricia Routledge, famous for playing the character Hyacinth Bucket in the classic TV sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, has passed away at the age of 96, as confirmed by. She also appeared in Alan Bennett's celebrated solo performances and played the BBC's amateur sleuth Hetty Wainthropp. "We mournfully announce to confirm the passing of Dame Patricia Routledge, who left this world peacefully in her sleep this morning with loved ones near." "At the remarkable age of 96, Dame Patricia's dedication to acting and for reaching out to fans never waned, just as new generations have continued to find her through her cherished television roles." The statement continued: "She leaves a void by those closest to her and by her devoted admirers around the world." Dame Patricia in the role of the iconic Hyacinth alongside actor Clive Swift playing Richard, her beleaguered husband in the series Keeping Up Appearances Decades of Performance Dame Patricia was best known as Hyacinth Bucket - with the affected pronunciation "bouquet" - a humorous character who embodied the extremes of affectation and class consciousness. "Hyacinth is a terrible snob and I had great fun with the role enormously," the star remarked. This classic sitcom was broadcast from 1990 to 95, and the following year she was chosen as the most beloved female performer at the television awards. She also found acclaim in theater and film after starting her career in the theatre in the 1950s. After appearances in the West End, she established herself in the America when she won the Tony Award for outstanding actress in a musical on Broadway for the musical Darling of the Day in the late 1960s. She was as adept at serious drama as she was at light entertainment - she took part in Shakespeare's histories at the RSC, then won an Olivier Award for leading musical actress for the production Candide in the 1980s. The 1980s also witnessed her emergence as a television icon - receiving parts by comedian Victoria Wood in her comedy series, and Alan Bennett in three of his renowned Talking Heads monologues, including the 1988 piece A Lady of Letters, for which she received a Bafta nomination. She garnered two further Bafta nominations, for her Hyacinth role, in the early 1990s, then took the lead in the central part as a older lady on a quest to solve crimes in the series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates between 1996 to 1998. She was made an OBE in 1993, a CBE in 2004, and damehood in recent years. A Remarkable Life Via her memorable characters, Dame Patricia Routledge delivered humor and delight to audiences worldwide, establishing a rich collection of performances that is still enjoyed by fans for years ahead.