Dame Patricia Routledge, the formidable and versatile actor best known for her comic turn as the snobbish Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, has died aged 96.
Born in Higher Tranmere, Birkenhead, Merseyside, Routledge was the second child of Isaac Edgar Routledge, a gentleman's outfitter and haberdasher, and his wife, Catherine. She studied English at Liverpool University, intending to become a teacher, but her passion for music led her to develop a full, rich contralto voice.
Her career spanned theatre, television and film. She won a Tony award for her role in the Broadway musical Darling of the Day in 1968, and later became a household name in the UK for her portrayal of the social-climbing Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances (1990-95). She also starred in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1996-98) and delivered acclaimed performances in Alan Bennett's Talking Heads.
Routledge was appointed a CBE in 1993 and made a Dame in 2017 for her services to entertainment and charity. She is survived by her brother and his family.
