Award-winning actor, singer, comedian, and English alumna Dame Patricia Routledge (BA Hons English Language & Literature 1951, Hon LittD 1999) is set to receive the Freedom of the Wirral award later this year.

Dame Patricia was born in Tranmere, Birkenhead and attended Birkenhead High School. She studied English Language and Literature at the University of Liverpool. During her studies she was active with the drama and music societies, before deciding on a career in theatre.

Wirral councillors voted to approve her nomination for Freedom of the Borough and she is set to receive her award later in the year.

Dame Patricia recently returned to the University for a special event to celebrate the second anniversary of the University’s concert venue The Tung Auditorium, for which she was an ambassador. She took part in an ‘In conversation’ event with journalist and radio presenter Edward Seckerson, where she reminisced about her illustrious career, and shared moving and at times, emotional insights into her musical journey.

As an English graduate, she’s also kindly funded bursaries to support our students in the English Department.

The University would like to congratulate Dame Patricia on receiving this accolade.

  Keeping Up Appearances cast now – Damehood, famous children and tragic deaths Keeping Up Appearances was a huge hit with viewers from 1990 to 1995, but what happened to the cast after the show ended? t’s been more than three decades since the beloved British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances graced our screens and the show’s legacy endures, capturing the hearts of TV lovers to this day. The hit  BBC  comedy, which delighted audiences from 1990 to 1995, featured Dame Patricia Routledge in her legendary role as Hyacinth Bucket. Her portrayal of the comically pretentious character, who famously insisted her surname “Bucket” be pronounced “Bouquet”, cemented her as a fan favourite. Over five seasons and 44 episodes, viewers were entertained by Hyacinth’s hilarious attempts to ascend the social ladder – though her endeavours often led to comical mishaps. The series didn’t just become a hit in Britain; its charm reached across the globe, captivating audience…

 Why Keeping Up Appearances Still Shines Among Gen Z: A Timeless Comedy That Outlives Trends The golden era of British sitcoms produced some of the most unforgettable television in history, but few shows have aged as well as Keeping Up Appearances. Decades after it first aired, the series continues to sparkle with charm, wit, and universal humor, attracting a surprisingly large Gen Z audience.While many older shows fade into obscurity, Keeping Up Appearances has managed to transcend generations, proving that quality storytelling and strong characters will always stand the test of time.Today, in a world where modern entertainment is saturated with shallow content, over-the-top spectacle, and movies that rely on little more than flashy visuals and gratuitous displays of skin, Keeping Up Appearances remains a refreshing contrast. It offers smart, character-driven humor rather than empty sensationalism, making it an important piece of television history that still resonates deeply with…

Keeping Up Appearances – Children In Need Special 1995: A Hilarious Chaos Unfolds On November 24, 1995, BBC’s Children in Need telethon brought us a delightful 6-minute gem: the Keeping Up Appearances – Children In Need Special . This lost-and-found sketch, recently rediscovered in 2024 after years of obscurity, showcases Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced “Bouquet,” naturally) at her finest—or perhaps her most frantic. For fans of the classic British sitcom, this special is a treat, blending charity spirit with Hyacinth’s unrelenting pursuit of social perfection. The plot kicks off with a late-night call from Daisy, shattering Hyacinth’s plans for a candlelight supper and a grand slide show of her holiday snaps. Daddy, the eccentric patriarch, has supposedly passed away. While most would be grief-stricken, Hyacinth’s primary concern is how this untimely news will disrupt her meticulously curated evening. “This is not the impression I want to give the neighbors!” she wails, her voice dripp…