Dame Patricia Routledge dies aged 96, Keeping Up Appearances star

Dame Patricia Routledge, the British actress best known for playing Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, has died at the age of 96, her agent said. In a statement the agent said she died peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by loved ones, and praised Routledge’s enduring passion for performance and connection with live audiences.

Routledge’s television role as the prim, aspirational Hyacinth made her a national figure when Keeping Up Appearances ran from 1990 to 1995 and reached broad audiences. She won a British Comedy Award for the part and was later voted one of the nation’s favorite actresses in public polls. Her career, however, spanned stage, film and television across seven decades.

Her professional work began in repertory theatre in the 1950s and moved into television and film in the 1960s. Early screen credits included appearances on Coronation Street and a film role in To Sir, With Love. She made her Broadway debut in the mid 1960s and won a Tony Award in the late 1960s for her performance in Darling of the Day. She also received stage recognition with a Laurence Olivier Award for her work in Candide.

Routledge was closely associated with playwright...