It originally aired on BBC1 from to The central character is an eccentric and snobbish middle-class social climber, Hyacinth Bucket Patricia Routledge , who insists that her surname is pronounced "Bouquet".
Production ended in after Routledge decided to move on to other projects. All 44 episodes have since been released on video, DVD and streaming media. The sitcom follows Hyacinth in her attempts to prove her social superiority, and to gain standing with those she considers upper class.
Her attempts are constantly hampered by her lower class extended family, whom she is desperate to hide. Much of the humour comes from the conflict between Hyacinth's vision of herself and the reality of her underclass background. In each episode, she lands in a farcical situation as she battles to protect her social credibility. By February , it had been sold nearly a thousand times to overseas broadcasters, making it BBC Worldwide 's most exported television programme ever. Hyacinth Bucket Patricia Routledge β who insists her surname is pronounced Bouquet although her husband Richard has said, "It was always 'Bucket' until I met you!
She is terrified that her background will be revealed and goes to great lengths to hide it. Hyacinth likes to spend her days visiting stately homes convinced she will meet and strike up a friendship with the upper-class owners, especially if they are part of the landed gentry or peerage and hosting "executive-style" candlelight suppers with her Royal Worcester double-glazed Avignon china and Royal Doulton china with "the hand-painted periwinkles ".
She ostentatiously brags about her possessions, including her "white slimline telephone with automatic redial", which she always answers with "The Bouquet residence, the lady of the house speaking.
