She was probably best-known for playing the snooty, snobbish housewife Hyacinth Bucket (which she ensured would be pronouned "bouquet") who wished she belonged to the upper classes in the BBC hit television series Keeping Up Appearances. But Dame Patrica was much more than a BBC sitcom actor. Indeed she was one of Britain's finest, most versatile and perhaps least known actors. Her Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest at the Savoy Theatre in 2001  being one of her finest and most famous roles. She had performed a wide variety of classic roles and had been a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Since she took part in few movies, she is sadly less well known across the pond.

A trained singer, Dame Patricia took part in many musicals. I saw her in 1993 at the National Theatre in one of her great performances, that of Nettie Fowler in Nicholas Hyntner's stunning production of  Carousel which later transferred to Broadway.  I doubt if the it song "You'll Never Walk Alone" has ever been sung more gloriously. It brought tears to my eyes. That role has been sung over the years by some of the greatest opera singers including Renee Fleming, Shirley Verrett and Cheryl Studer.

Dame Patricia has died aged 96.

RIP Mrs. Bucket. I only knew here from that series but remember that creation very well