'Keeping Up Appearances' star Dame Patricia Routledge dies at 96

Dame Patricia Routledge, best known for her role in the BBC comedy Keeping Up Appearances, has passed away at the age of 96. She died peacefully in her sleep, her agent told media.

The British actress was born Katherine Patricia Routledge in Birkenhead in 1929, and went on to work in across media, including theatre, television, film, and radio.

In her more than six-decade career, she won a number of awards including a Tony in 1968 for Darling of the Day and an Olivier Award in 1988 for Candide. She was made OBE in 1993, CBE in 2004, and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2017 for services to theatre and charity. She also won the Freedom of the Borough of Wirral this year.

The star lived in Chichester, West Sussex, in later life, and local tributes describe her as a “giant of stage and screen”, according to Sussex.news.

BBC comedy chief Jon Petrie said: “She was an actor of remarkable range. Her portrayal of Hyacinth Bucket remains one of the most iconic performances in British comedy.”

Actor James Dreyfus, meanwhile, added: 'We just lost a truly formidable, talented and brilliant actress. One of the very best.'