Dame Patricia Routledge, celebrated worldwide for her role as Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, has passed away at the age of 96. Her agent confirmed the news in a statement to PA News Agency on October 3, as per BBC.

Routledge’s agent said that even at her advanced age, her passion for performance and connection with audiences remained strong.

Patricia Routledge cause of death: What we know

Routledge’s cause of death has not been officially released. “We are deeply saddened to confirm the passing of Dame Patricia Routledge, who died peacefully in her sleep this morning surrounded by love,” her agent said in a statement to the PA Media News Agency.

It further added, “Even at 96 years old, Dame Patricia’s passion for her work and for connecting with live audiences never waned, just as new generations of audiences have continued to find her through her beloved television roles. She will be dearly missed by those closest to her and by her devoted admirers around the world.”

Patricia Routledge’s rose to fame

Routledge became a household name in the 1990s as the hilariously snobbish Hyacinth Bucket, pronounced ‘bouquet’, whose pretensions and comic timing made Keeping Up Appearances one of Britain’s most loved sitcoms. The show ran from 1990 to 1995 and later gained popularity in the United States.

She once described her most famous character as “an absolute monster,” adding that she realized playing the role ridiculed English social climbing and pretension.

About Patricia Routledge

Born in Birkenhead in 1929, Routledge began her career on stage in the 1950s. She won a Tony Award in 1968 for Darling of the Day on Broadway and later an Olivier Award for Candide in 1988. She also worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, performing in Richard III and Henry V, as per The Independent.

Her television roles extended beyond comedy. She starred in Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads monologues and became a crime-solving pensioner in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates from 1996 to 1998.

Routledge was appointed an OBE in 1993, CBE in 2004 and Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2017 for her services to theatre and charity.

Tributes pour in for Patricia Routledge

BBC’s director of comedy Jon Petrie described Routledge as “an actor of remarkable range,” adding: “She took a character on the page and gave her such truth, precision and warmth that Hyacinth became part of the national conversation, instantly recognizable, endlessly quotable, and loved around the world,” as per BBC.

Friend and commentator Gyles Brandreth called Patricia Routledge “a remarkable actress because of her being a remarkable human being”.

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Actor Kerry Howard, who played a younger Hyacinth in a prequel, called her “a comic beacon,” “a great clown,” and further told BBC, “it was the way she worked that influenced my comic sensibility. The forces of her acting were terrifically vibrant.”

“Patricia Routledge was an irreplaceable, inimitable and unforgettable artist,” said the Chichester Festival Theatre, where she regularly performed.

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FAQs

Q1. What was Patricia Routledge’s cause of death?

Her agent confirmed she died peacefully in her sleep of natural causes at the age of 96.

Q2. What was her most famous role?

She was best known for playing Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances.

Q3. Did Patricia Routledge win any major awards?

Yes, she won a Tony Award in 1968 for Darling of the Day and an Olivier Award in 1988 for Candide.