Keeping Up Appearances was a staple in the world of British sitcoms, but where is the original cast now?
Hyacinth Bucket (played by Dame Patricia Routledge) was a woman who aspired to climb up the social ladder, no matter how ridiculous and desperate she seemed to do so. Fans across the country fell in love with the BBC comedy which ran for five seasons before coming to an end in 1995. Here’s everything there is to know about the cast of Keeping Up Appearances and where they are now.
Where are the original Keeping Up Appearances cast now?
Hyacinth Bucket – Dame Patricia Routledge
Dame Patricia Routledge was behind the iconic Hyacinth Bucket but decided to quit acting many years ago.
During her time in the entertainment industry, she also played an amateur detective in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates and starred in the dramatic monologue BBC series Talking Heads by playwright Alan Bennett.
In 2017, Routledge was named a Dame for her services to entertainment and charity.
She was once again in the spotlight in November last year as she received an honorary membership for the Royal Academy of Music at a special service at London’s Freemason Hall.
Earlier this year, the show celebrated its 30th anniversary with a special programme entitled Keeping Up Appearances: 30 Years of Laughs.
During the show, Routledge talked of when she first realised she had become a household name.
“I don’t know when the moment hit me that we were rather successful, but the taxi drivers quite often would say something like, ‘You’re not going to tell me how to drive this are you?'” she said.
“We were one of the Queen Mother’s favourite sitcoms, which was lovely to know. And [Queen Elizabeth II] enjoyed it too.
“Hyacinth would have been flattered beyond words.”
Richard Bucket – Clive Swift
Richard Bucket was Hyacinth’s more down-to-earth husband who had to put up with her shenanigans.
Actor Clive Swift was in a number of one-off episodes in shows like Doctor Who and Peak Practice and played Roy in The Old Guys.
Swift sadly died at the age of 82 in 2019, leaving behind his three children.
One of which is Gardeners’ World and Chelsea Flower Show presenter Joe Swift.
Elizabeth Warden – Josephine Tewson
Nervous neighbour to the Buckets was Elizabeth Warden, portrayed by actress Josephine Tewson.
One of her most famous roles was as Miss Davenport in Last of the Summer Wine, until she left in 2010.
She also did a one-woman show called Still Keeping Up Appearances a couple of years later but died in August 2022, aged 91.
Emmet Hawksworth – David Griffin
Elizabeth’s brother Emmet was portrayed by David Griffin who joined the cast in season two.
Griffin went on to tour with Su Pollard in The Good Sex Guide, while also working in panto.
Now he is rarely seen onscreen and little is known about his private life, bar that his wife is French.
Onslow – Geoffrey Hughes
Onslow was a relative of Hyacinth’s who she was ashamed of as he was of a lower class.
Actor Geoffrey Hughes went on to star as Vernon Scripps in Heartbeat and Twiggy in The Royle Family.
He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in the 1990s and had to retire from acting when he relapsed in 2010.
Hughes died of the illness in 2012, aged 68.
Daisy – Judy Cornwell
Onslow’s romantic wife Daisy was played by actress Judy Cornwell, who was Heather Trott’s mum Queenie in EastEnders.
She has also been in Midsomer Murders, Birds of a Feather and published several popular novels during her career
