Patricia Routledge's final words in Keeping Up Appearances were 'very fitting'

A Patricia Routledge fan has pointed out that her final ever words as Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances were "very fitting". The actress' death was announced today, on October 3. She was aged 96.

The legendary star was best known for her comical portrayal of snobby Hyacinth Bucket, which she famously pronounced "bouquet", in the hit sitcom, which ran from 1990 to 1995. William Hanson, who hosts an official fan podcast for the sitcom, led tributes after the sad news of her death. Taking to X/Twitter, the superfan wrote: "Dame Patricia Routledge, 1929 - 2025. Now off to the candlelight supper in the sky. Thank you for everything. Hyacinth's final words in Keeping Up Appearances seem fitting." The viewer added a clip which showed Patricia's final line from Keeping Up Appearances as she yelled: "Tell God it's Bouquet!" She held her head as she was carried into an ambulance and the credits rolled for a final time.

That last line was heard by 16.73 million viewers who tuned in to the show's finale. The episode saw Hyacinth and Richard arrive at the Church Hall as Hyacinth organised a pageant based on the English Civil War, with herself as Queen Henrietta Maria.

But Elizabeth was unlucky again, and pulled the wrong rope resulting in a curtain falling on Hyacinth's head causing her trip in the ambulance.

Production of the much-loved sitcom ended when Patricia moved on to other projects. Speaking about her abrupt exit, she said: "Well, I brought it to an end, which, of course, the BBC didn't care for very much.

"I thought the writer was beginning to recycle old ideas. And also, remembering the glorious Ronnie Barker, he always stopped when he was at the height of something and he always left with people saying, 'Oh, aren't you doing any more?' Rather than people saying, 'Is that still on?'"

In another interview, she added: "If everything focuses on just one role, it's just too silly. But it would be churlish of me not to appreciate what it's brought me.

"If a good number of people come into a theatre because they know me from Mrs Bucket, I couldn't be happier."