Legions of fans worldwide and all of us at VisionTV were very saddened by the news of British comedy icon Dame Patricia Routledge’s death on October 3, 2025 at the age of 96. If you’re a fan of her work, you’ll know how incredibly talented she was, particularly as the uppity Hyacinth Bucket on the hit BBC comedy Keeping Up Appearances, a long-running VisionTV series and a viewer favourite. You can watch Keeping Up Appearances every Friday at 8pm ET on VisionTV and Mondays through Thursdays at 7 & 9pm ET on our sister station ONETV.

To commemorate her passing and to celebrate her long life and full career, here are 5 things you may not have known about Dame Patricia Routledge.

 

     1. Not only was she a talented comedic actress, she was also a talented singer.

While Ms. Routledge is most recognized for her exceptional comedic skills, she initially began her career on stage in musicals, first in Liverpool and London’s West End, then making her way to Broadway, where she won a Tony Award for her role in the musical “Darling of the Day”. She was also honoured with an Olivier Award for her role in the musical “Candide”.

 

   2. She took on more dramatic roles, in addition to comedy and musicals.

Patricia had a long run with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and her biggest film role came in the dramatic film To Sir, With Love alongside Sidney Poitier. One of her other most notable TV roles was in the mystery series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, which you may also recognize as a VisionTV favourite from past years. She really could do it all!

 

   3. She was a Dame

Patricia was made an OBE in 1993, a CBE in 2004, and a Dame in 2017. Of course, her impact went beyond just British culture and tradition, with dedicated fans from around the world.

 

 4. She never married or had children.
In an interview, Patricia said she didn’t intend to make those choices, but her focus on her career was so total at the time. By no means did that keep her from living a full life. Patricia had long resided in Chichester and was very involved in a local church.

 

 5. She spoke of the afterlife before her passing.

“When I approach the pearly gates, I’d like to hear a champagne cork popping, an orchestra tuning up and the sound of my mother laughing.

We hope she got her wish!

Here’s a wonderful interview Patricia gave to Australia’s Studio 10 in 2017: