Forever linked with the snobbish, social climbing, eccentric Hyacinth Bucket (bou-quet) famous for her candlelight suppers, Patricia Routledge has had a long and very successful career not only in British comedy, but film, television and musical theatre with numerous appearances in West End London. Her Broadway debut resulted in a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for the 1968 musical, Darling of the Day.

From her early television credits on Steptoe and Son to screen credits in To Sir, With Love to a series of hugely successful monologues written especially for her by Alan Bennett to her most recent work for BBC Radio in Ladies of Letters with Prunella Scales, Patricia Routledge continues to make audiences laugh on both sides of the Pond.

Of course, we will always know her best for her brilliant portrayal of Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances followed by the bicycle-riding sleuth, Hetty Wainthropp, in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates.

Showing no signs of slowing down, this quote, attributed to Ms. Routledge, sums up her continued positive outlook on living life…“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.”

Happy 81st, Patricia Routledge. Thanks for all the great times, past, present and future.