THE late Pope Benedict XVI was a fan of 90s sitcom classic Keeping Up Appearances, it was revealed last night.
A new documentary claims that the German, who died last month, mimicked snobby Hyacinth Bucket’s telephone manner.
The Queen and Queen Mother were also said to be fans of the BBC comedy, which followed Hyacinth’s hilariously misguided attempts to climb the social ladder.
Hyacinth, played by the now-Dame Patricia Routledge, pronounced her surname as “Bouquet”, and reserved her poshest voice when answering the phone at her “residence”.
And this is said to have led to an unlikely impersonation from Benedict XI, who shocked the world by quitting as Pope in 2013.
Last night’s documentary said: “There’s a rumour that Pope Benedict did an impression of Hyacinth’s telephone catchphrase, ‘Hello, this is the Bouquet residence’.”
Keeping Up Appearances: 30 Years Of Laughs also included a chat with Dame Patricia, 93, who revealed royalty watched the show.
She said: “We were one of the Queen Mother’s favourite sitcoms, which was lovely, and the Queen enjoyed it, too.” The actress, who also worked with Victoria Wood, added:
“Hyacinth would have been flattered beyond words, and why not?”
Hyacinth’s long-suffering husband Richard said his surname “was always Bucket until I met you”.
Clive Swift, who played him, died in 2019 aged 82.
The show ran between 1990 and 1995. In 2001, Hyacinth came in at No52 on a poll of 100 Greatest TV Characters.
Pope Benedict XVI served as leader of the Catholic church from 2005 until 2013.
He died at the age of 95.
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