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Meet “Young Hyacinth” Bucket

Kerry Howard to play a young Hyacinth Bucket in the one-off prequel for Keeping Up Appearances.

This week the BBC confirmed actress Kerry Howard, best known for Him & Her and Drunk History (UK) would play a young Hyacinth Bucket in the one-off prequel for Keeping Up Appearances.

Set in the 1950s, Young Hyacinth is written by the original creator Roy Clarke (yay!) and tells the story of Hyacinth’s early adulthood, as part of a sitcom season to mark 60 years of BBC comedies.

Mark Addy from Game of Thrones will play her father with sisters as: Violet (Tamla Kari), Daisy (Katherine Pearce) and Rose (Katie Redford).

It will also feature Tony Gardner, Debra Stephenson, Tim Downie and James Wrighton.

Kerry Howard, says: “It is such a privilege to get this opportunity to play the part that turned Patricia Routledge into a comedy legend. I grew up watching her and never dreamed that the original writer Roy Clarke would revisit Hyacinth in her early years and explain why she is the way she is. The script is incredible and he is such a sharp writer. This is a gift of a part and I’m very humbled that the BBC have entrusted it to me. I can’t wait to play her!”

Roy Clarke says: “Often, even during the elder Hyacinth’s reign, I would wonder what this formidable mature lady would have been like as a young woman. Would the Hyacinth powers already be there? Well, to my delight, I’ve been given the chance to find out. I’ve been allowed to wander into her background and investigate, almost a piece of archaeology really, until there she was – Young Hyacinth in early blossom. I hope those who knew her in her prime will find as much pleasure in this re-creation of her as I have.”

Set in the late 1950s in a crowded canal cottage, Hyacinth’s desperate attempts to transform her sisters and her Dad (Mark Addy – Game Of Thrones, The Full Monty) into an altogether better class of family are not always appreciated. The sisters have their own dreams and ambitions, Violet (Tamla Kari, The Musketeers) dreams of wealth, Daisy (Katherine Pearce, Our Girl) dreams of the great outdoors and Rose (Katie Redford, Mount Pleasant) dreams of film stars and boys; whilst Hyacinth dreams of the day she’ll have matching china. Oh and how she wishes that her darling Daddy, currently scraping by as a part-time brush salesman with a tricycle and a drink problem, could be more like ex-Squadron Leader Cooper-Smith, for whom she works as a maid.

13 Responses

  1. Looking forward to seeing this sounds like it will be a wonderful ep. I have often been tempted to answer the phone “hello, Bucket residence the lady of the house speaking”

  2. Pity they killed off Victor Meldrew or we could have had One Foot In The Grave revisited.

    Reason I thought that was, when Keeping Up Appearances and One Foot In The Grave were first on (both starting in 1990), I used to think I would love to see a crossover episode where Hyacinth and Victor met. If Victor had not been killed off, then perhaps we could have got that crossover episode in this 60 years of BBC comedies thing they are doing.

    Then again I often imagined what it would have been like if either Hyacinth or Victor happened to go to Torquay for a holiday and stayed at Fawlty Towers, so they could make that happen with Hyacinth if they could get John Cleese on board (yeah I know a man can dream though)

  3. Having Roy Clarke on board definitely makes this a winner, reason enough to bring out the Royal Doulton with the hand-painted periwinkles when it airs.

  4. I didn’t realise it was their biggest export. I have to admit, despite it being quite broad at times and a little repetitive gag wise, character wise it was just brilliant and a career defining role for the leading lady. As with Basil Fawlty, you love to hate the character but perversely both root for them, but also be pleased when they get their come uppance. My favourite Hyacinth moment – where she goes ass over t in the speedboat with Richard!

    1. Well said, it was a show i never intended watching but agreed to put up with whilst spending time with my mum, then i was quite quickly hooked. i loved the moments when Hyacinth was horrified & embarrassed by the actions of slovenly Onslow & provocative Rose. Having known both some snobbish & boorish people in real life it made me lol in recognition.

      1. yep wonderful that Roy Clarke is still around and creative. I used to both laugh and cry at Ronnie Barker’s shopkeeper in Open All Hours. So beautifully written and performed.

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