One of the few upsides of digging out after another year of semi-living under an ever-present pandemic cloud is the opportunity to send good wishes for a very happy birthday to the brilliant Dame Katherine Patricia Routledge, who turns 95 today. Given Hyacinth would have been appalled at the possibility that I might forget to drop […]
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The “grocer with the gift of gab” once again will stand behind the till when series 6 of’ Still Open All Hours’ resumes filming in early 2019.
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Almost three decades ago, American public television audiences were introduced to Richard and Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced “Bouquet”). With her white slimline telephone with automatic redial, of course, and her prized collection of Royal Doulton china with hand-painted periwinkles, of course, Hyacinth longed to spend her days visiting stately homes on the oft chance she would […]
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Young Hyacinth premiered last week as part of the BBC’s Landmark Sitcom Season along with other ‘tip-of-the-hat’ specials including Goodnight Sweetheart, Porridge and Are You Being Served?. Having now had the opportunity to be able to screen all of them, I thought the Keeping Up Appearances prequel starring Kerry Howard worked exceptionally well. Even though the one-off was brilliantly written by […]
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Much has been written recently (including here) about the numerous re-boots that the BBC is planning as part of their Landmark Sitcom Season which is designed to celebrate the 60th anniversary of comedy on the channel since the original broadcast of Hancock’s Half Hour in 1956. While it is a bit hard to get excited about […]
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