Young Hyacinth


Young Hyacinth is a prequel to the British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, written by original writer Roy Clarke. The one-off special, set some forty years before the events of Keeping Up Appearances, follows the early life of Hyacinth Walton, as she desperately attempts to better her sisters and dad. The special premiered on 2 September 2016 on BBC One as part of the BBC Landmark Sitcom Season. Patricia Routledge, who originated the role of Hyacinth, was critical of the BBC’s decision to make this prequel, saying “Why are they doing this sort of thing, they must be desperate.”

Cast

In the late 1950s, young-adult Hyacinth Walton spends her days working as a domestic servant for the wealthy but troubled Cooper-Smiths by day, then returns to the small canal cottage that is home to her, her three younger sisters, and their alcoholic father. Impressed by her eccentric employers, Hyacinth vows to escape her poor background and enter the elegant upper-class world.

Broadcast

The show was broadcast on 2 September 2016 on BBC One in the United Kingdom and 4.14 million viewers watched the show within seven days of its broadcast, making it the 22nd-most-watched BBC One show for the week ending 4 September. 4.39 million viewers watched the show within 28 days of its initial broadcast.