Patricia Routledge: How she savaged the BBC

The Mail today reports Patricia Routledge's fury at the BBC over its decision some time ago to cancel her hit shows Hetty Wainthrop Investigates and Keeping Up Appearances. Only a couple of lines are quoted - but accurately. I have now been sent the full text of what said: “We were betrayed by the BBC. Completely and utterly. We finished series four of Hetty Wainthrop, and we were told that there was definitely going to be a series five. The ratings were excellent.

"And so we waited and waited. Everyone in the cast and crew had lots of offers to do other things. But we were loyal to the BBC … everyone wanted to know, ‘When do we start filming again?’ But you know, they never sent a word to anyone. How rude. I worried for the youngsters in the cast – they were turning down opportunities so that they could be free to make another Hetty series. That’s appalling.

“There was a regime change at Television Centre, and the drama department ended up being run, as far as I can see, by a lot of ten-year-old children with absolutely no manners. So it never happened. That’s the way that they do things these days. How I yearn for the times when you had a handshake, or a phone call, and a sense of honesty and commitment.”