Overview
- Her agent told PA Media she died peacefully in her sleep on Oct. 3 at age 96, with no cause of death disclosed.
- Routledge became a household name as Hyacinth Bucket in BBC’s Keeping Up Appearances (1990–95), which drew up to 13 million UK viewers and later ranked among BBC Worldwide’s most exported shows.
- A renowned stage performer, she made her professional debut in 1952 at the Liverpool Playhouse and earned a Tony Award in 1968 and an Olivier Award in 1988.
- BBC comedy chief Jon Petrie praised her range and iconic portrayal of Hyacinth, while creator Roy Clarke lauded her vocal precision and physical comedy.
- Her screen credits included leading Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1996–98), and she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2017.