The Bucket List

Ever since the death of Dame Patricia Routledge (who passed away this week on 3 October 2025), I’ve been trying to track down a photograph I had taken with her when I interviewed her in 2001 for ABC Radio. Thanks to a wonderful colleague, I’ve finally tracked down the photograph through the Way Back Machine. There is also a link to an audio file from a file type no longer used (Real Player), so finding the actual interview might be more of a challenge!

Dame Patricia Routledge was an iconic English actress known for her versatility across stage, film, and television, though she is perhaps most beloved internationally for her role as the obsessive, social-climbing snob, Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced ‘Bouquet’), in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances. Personally, I much preferred her role in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates. Despite the fame of her television roles, her career was rooted in musical theatre, for which she won a Tony Award in 1968 for her performance in the Broadway musical, Darling of the Day.

I remember lots of things about the interview, but one of the most delightful moments was finding an album she recorded in the 1960s. We managed to locate a copy in the ABC Sound Library and played a track for her—she couldn’t believe we actually had it! The album featured her singing “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” from The Sound of Music.

I recall the generosity of her time being extraordinary. At one point, I saw in the background a producer from another radio station looking through the studio window and tapping his watch to signal that I had gone overtime with her, but she was happy to to continue the chat.

I have thousands of hours of  audio in the archives, but I haven’t been able to find the actual interview file yet. Nevertheless, having the photograph is a wonderful reminder of that special conversation. I shared the story with friends on Facebook and one rather astutely commented: “You can tick that off your bucket list.” 🤣