🔗 Share this article Celebrated Performer Patricia Routledge, Iconic for Hyacinth Bucket, Dies at 96 Performer Patricia Routledge, famous for playing the character Hyacinth Bucket in the popular television comedy the series Keeping Up Appearances, has left us at the 96 years old, as confirmed by. Additionally, she appeared in monologues by Alan Bennett and played the BBC's crime-solving retiree Hetty Wainthropp. "We are deeply saddened to confirm the death of Dame Patricia Routledge, who died peacefully in her sleep recently surrounded by love." "Despite her advanced years, Dame Patricia's love for performing and for engaging with theatergoers remained strong, just as younger viewers have continued to find her through her beloved screen performances." Her agent continued: "She will be dearly missed by her inner circle and by her dedicated supporters worldwide." Patricia Routledge as the iconic Hyacinth next to Clive Swift portraying Richard, her beleaguered husband in the beloved sitcom Decades of Performance Patricia Routledge was most famous as Hyacinth Bucket - with the affected pronunciation "bouquet" - a comic creation who represented the peak of British social climbing. "She's an absolute monster and I had great fun with the role immensely," the actress said. Keeping Up Appearances aired from the early 1990s, and a year later she was voted the nation's most popular actress at the BBC anniversary ceremony. Beyond television, she found acclaim in theater and film after beginning her professional life in the theater in the 1950s. Following roles in London's West End, she established herself in the America when she received the Broadway trophy for best lead actress in a musical on Broadway for Darling of the Day in the late 1960s. She proved equally skilled at intense theater as she was at musicals and comedy - she performed in Shakespeare's histories at the prestigious theater company, then received an Laurence Olivier Award for leading musical actress for the production Candide in the 1980s decade. The 80s also saw her become a true national TV star - landing appearances by comedian Victoria Wood in As Seen on TV, and writer Alan Bennett in three of his renowned Talking Heads monologues, including 1988's A Lady of Letters, for which she was given a Bafta award nomination. She received more award nominations, for the popular sitcom, in 1992 and 93, then headlined the central part as a older lady on a quest to solve crimes in BBC One's Hetty Wainthropp Investigates between the late 1990s. She was made an OBE in 1993, a CBE in 2004, and damehood in 2017. A Lasting Legacy Through her unforgettable roles, Patricia Routledge brought laughter and joy to millions, leaving behind a rich career portfolio that is still enjoyed by fans into the future.