Dame Patricia Routledge, the formidable actor best known for her comic portrayal of the snobbish Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, has died aged 96.
Born in Higher Tranmere, Birkenhead, Merseyside, Routledge studied English at Liverpool University before turning to acting. Her career spanned stage, television and film, with notable roles in Alan Bennett's Talking Heads and the detective series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates.
Routledge won a Tony Award for her Broadway debut in Darling of the Day in 1968. She also played Lady Bracknell in a 2001 production of The Importance of Being Earnest at the Savoy Theatre.
Her most famous role, Hyacinth Bucket, ran from 1990 to 1995 and made her a household name in Britain. The character's social-climbing antics and catchphrase 'pronounced Bouquet' became iconic.
