Farewell to the Queen of Comedy: Dame Patricia Routledge on Ending Keeping Up Appearances and Leaving Hyacinth Behind

In a rare and refreshingly candid interview, Dame Patricia Routledge—the indomitable talent behind Britain’s most insufferably lovable social climber—has pulled back the lace curtains on her time as Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced “Bouquet,” of course) in the BBC’s Keeping Up Appearances. With graceful honesty and the kind of wit that made her iconic, Routledge opened up about why she chose to walk away from one of the most successful sitcoms in British television history—and she didn’t shy away from taking a subtle swipe at the BBC in the process.

“It was time,” she stated simply during a BBC Four documentary, her tone measured but unmistakably firm. “I brought it to an end, which, of course, the BBC didn’t care for very much.” A pause. Then, with a glimmer in her eye, she added, “I thought the writer was beginning to recycle old ideas.”

In that one sentence, Routledge summed up what many actors fear but few have the courage to act upon: the slow death of originality in a beloved series. It wasn’t bitterness—quite the opposite. It was the decision of an artist who knows when to bow gracefully off the stage, echoing the ethos of her late colleague, comedy titan Ronnie Barker. “He always stopped when he was at the height of something,” she said admiringly. “He left with people saying, ‘Oh, aren’t you doing any more?’ rather than ‘Is that still on?’ That’s the place to be.”

A Star Born in the Middle of the Night

Hyacinth Bucket was no ordinary role. For Routledge, she wasn’t just another character in the pages of a script—she was a full-force persona who “leapt off the page” in the dead of night. “I had opened the script for a moment at one o’clock in the morning,” she recalled, “read straight through, and Hyacinth leapt off the page. I knew that woman. I knew several of that woman.”

Viewers did too. From the moment she swept onto our screens in 1990, insisting on candlelight suppers and her rightful place in high society, Hyacinth was unforgettable. She was aspirational and absurd, grating yet oddly lovable—a walking contradiction in pastels and pearls. The brilliance of Routledge’s performance wasn’t just in Hyacinth’s unrelenting pretension, but in the flickers of vulnerability beneath her porcelain veneer.

When Clive Swift was cast as Hyacinth’s weary husband Richard, Routledge knew the show had found its rhythm. “Oh my goodness, how wonderful,” she remembered thinking. “Now we really are in business.”

Behind the Lace Curtains: The Real Hyacinth

Though she gave us one of comedy’s greatest caricatures, Routledge has always made one thing clear: she and Hyacinth could not be more different.

“Apart from two arms, two legs, two eyes, a nose and a mouth, I sincerely hope not!” she laughed when asked if she saw any of herself in the character. “It’s what acting’s all about. Just because I may play a murderer doesn’t mean I have to commit a murder – you just play a part.”

Indeed, Routledge is a classical actress to her core. A lover of Shakespeare and the stage, she has devoted her life to the craft, both onscreen and off. Even after leaving Keeping Up Appearances in 1995, her work continued behind the scenes—supporting actors, promoting theatre, and advocating for the arts. She was named a Dame in 2017 for her contributions to drama and charity, and in 2022, was granted honorary membership at the Royal Academy of Music.

Yet, even with her illustrious career in the theatre, it is Hyacinth that fans remember—and Routledge remains gracious about the enduring affection. “I’m amazed by the enormity of it all, 30 years on,” she said. “It still touches people.”

The Cost of Perfection: A Curtain Call on Her Terms

The decision to end Keeping Up Appearances wasn’t easy. At its peak, the show was watched by over 20 million viewers. It had international acclaim, a cult following, and legions of fans across generations. But for Routledge, the integrity of the work mattered more than the spotlight.

She believed the magic was fading—ideas recycled, the originality dulled. She chose to leave at the height of its success, walking away with pride intact, before the beloved show could become a parody of itself.

In the same BBC Four documentary, she made her reasoning clear: “I had other adventures to explore. I’m an actress, and I wanted to take on the stories of other people.”

It’s this very commitment to craft that makes her a legend—not just for Keeping Up Appearances, but for her entire body of work, from West End musicals to Shakespearean tragedies.

A Fond Farewell to a Fan Favourite

While the original cast has since gone their separate ways, the impact of Keeping Up Appearances still resonates. Co-star Geoffrey Hughes, who played the beloved slob Onslow, passed away in 2012 after a long battle with cancer. His comedic timing, like Routledge’s, brought texture and balance to the show’s eccentric world.

Today, Dame Patricia Routledge is 95 years old. While her days of candlelight suppers may be long behind her, she continues to inspire. Earlier this year, she attended a celebration of Shakespeare’s legacy alongside Queen Camilla and fellow actors, a reminder that her connection to the stage has never dimmed.

Legacy of Laughter

Patricia Routledge gave the world one of its most enduring comedic icons—a woman obsessed with status and decorum, who nevertheless won our hearts through the sheer audacity of her determination. Hyacinth Bucket may have been absurd, but she was real. In her relentless ambition, her misplaced pride, and her fervent belief in the importance of bone china and rose-painted stationery, she reflected back a society preoccupied with appearances.

And now, three decades later, her creator reflects back with humor, honesty, and not a hint of regret.

With one final bouquet, Dame Patricia Routledge says goodbye to Hyacinth—not with fanfare, but with quiet pride. The curtain has closed, but the applause goes on.

For fans who still can’t get enough, reruns of Keeping Up Appearances continue to grace screens around the world—a testament to the staying power of a character who never stopped striving to be more than she was, and an actress who knew exactly when it was time to move on.