Hello and welcome to the luxury podcast.

My name is Jonathan Vernon Smith and with me is William Hanson.

Now this is a different episode to normal.

As of course we had the very sad news that Dame Patricia Routledge,

best known to all of us as Hyacinth Bouquet in keeping up appearances, has died.

Jonathan and I wanted to take the opportunity to speak about Dame Patricia

and pay tribute to her wonderful life and work. She was born Catherine,

Patricia Routrich, on the 17th of February, 1929 in Tranmere in Cheshire. Her father was a

haberdasher and a gentleman's outfitter, and she attended the Birkenhead High School. Then,

the University of Liverpool, where she gained a degree in English language and literature,

and later the Bristol Oldovic Theatre School. Many of us will always think of her as the star

of keeping up appearances. But of course, Dame Patricia had all sorts of other wonderful appearances.

On the stage, she won the 1968 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical

for her role in Darling of the Day. And the 1988, Olivia Award for Best Actress in a Musical

for Candide. And her film appearances include To Sir with Love from 1967, and Don raise the bridge lower the river in 1968.

And on television, Dame Patricia appeared in Alan Bennett's A Woman of No Importance in 82,

and as Kitty in Victoria Wood, as seen on TV, between 1985 and 1986.

She was nominated for the BAFTA Television Award for Best Actress for Bennett's Talking Heads,

The Lady of Letters in 1988.

And she also starred as Hetty Wainthrop in the British television series Hettie Wainthrop Investigates in 1996 to 1998.

Now, she was heavily awarded by the late Queen.

She got her officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1993 for services to entertainment

...