Dame Patricia Routledge, most famous for her performance as snobby suburban housewife Hyacinth Bucket in BBC sitcom Keeping up Appearances, is dead at 96. She would surely have appreciated the headline: one of the best running jokes in the show was Hyacinth's insistence her married name be rendered and spoken "Buckét."
Routledge's agent confirmed the news on Friday, Oct. 3, and said she "died peacefully in her sleep this morning surrounded by love," multiple outlets, including the BBC and Deadline report, citing the PA News agency.
"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 statement continued. "She will be dearly