Kerry Howard has been cast as Hyacinth Bucket in the ‘Keeping Up Appearances’ reboot.
The 34-year-old actress will play a younger version of the busy-body housewife – who was made famous by Patricia Routledge in the 90s – in the BBC’s one-off prequel series.
Speaking of stepping in to Patricia’s shoes as the iconic character – whose high-pitched shrill shook screens from 1990 to 1995 – Kerry said: "It’s a role of a lifetime… The opportunity to have a go at it myself is really exciting. It’s a dream role. It’s so good, so good."
And Kerry – who is the sister of comedian Russell Howard and rose to fame in comedy TV series ‘Him & Her’ in 2010 – has even approached Patricia, who is now aged 87, for tips on how to master the demanding role.
She told The Radio Times Online: "She taught me about how you use your face, about intonation, about how your body embodies a gag. She’s totally uncensored. She’s going for the gag in every sense. She’s brilliant and I don’t think there’s a performer out there doing that now."
Meanwhile, sacked ‘Coronation Street’ star Katie Redford has also joined the six- part series, which has been written by Roy Clarke who penned the original series, as Hyacinth’s promiscuous younger sister Rose.
The 27-year-old actress landed the cheeky part after she was dramatically dropped from the ITV soap as 14-year-old Bethany Platt last year over an age discrepancy.
Keeping Up Appearances signs Kerry Howard as Hyacinth Bucket
