Beloved British sitcom legend Dame Patricia Routledge, renowned for her unforgettable portrayal of Hyacinth Bucket in ‘Keeping Up Appearances,’ peacefully passed away at the age of 96 on October 3, 2025. Her manager shared that her fervor for acting remained vibrant until the end.
Dame Patricia Routledge, the actress renowned for ‘Keeping Up Appearances,’ passed away at the age of 96 on October 3, 2025. The British sitcom icon’s manager confirmed that the veteran actress took a peaceful last breath in her sleep, surrounded by love.
Dame Patricia Routledge’s demise: Manager says her passion for craft never faded
Helming from a theatrical background, Routledge kept the screens alive with her presence, along with the stages, since the 1950s. She was famous for her role as a snobby social climber, Hyacinth Bucket, in ‘Keeping Up Appearances,’ the BBC comedy show that had five seasons from 1990 to 1995. The agent gave an official statement about her demise, stating that she loved her audiences and was passionate about her work. “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,” the manager claimed, adding that she would be missed by the closest and admired by all, as per Deadline.
Who was Dame Patricia Routledge?
Born in 1929, Routledge worked extensively on the stage after starting her career at the West End on Broadway. She went on to win the prestigious Tony Award for best lead actress on ‘Darling of the Day’ in 1968. In 2017, she was appointed Dame Commander of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace after her prolific contributions to the performing arts. The treasured artist received two BAFTA nominations for ‘Keeping Up Appearances,’ and a BAFTA TV award nomination for Bennett’s ‘Talking Heads: A Lady of Letters’ in 1988. She worked in the musicals Richard III and Henry V for the Royal Shakespeare Company, and won the Olivier Award for best actress in a musical for Candide in the 1980s, according to the BBC. The cause of the demise of the celebrated actress has not been revealed yet.
