Actor Josephine Tewson of Keeping Up Appearances dies aged 91

The British sitcom star Josephine Tewson has died aged 91, her agent has confirmed.

Tewson, best known for her roles in Keeping Up Appearances and Last of the Summer Wine, died on Thursday night at Denville Hall, a care home in London for people in the entertainment industry.

A statement from her agent, Jean Diamond of Diamond Management, said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Josephine Tewson. Josephine passed away peacefully last night at Denville Hall at the age of 91.”

Born in Hampstead, north-west London, in 1931, Tewson attended grammar school before enrolling at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, from which she graduated in 1952.

She had minor parts in the 1960s in shows such as Z-Cars and The Charlie Drake Show and regularly appeared in sketches alongside comedians Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker in Hark at Barker and Frost on Sunday.

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She played Edna Hawkins in the first six series of the ITV sitcom Shelley, which aired during the 1980s and early 90s.

However, she was best known for playing the pragmatic Elizabeth Warden, a neighbour and reluctant confidante of the social climbing snob Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances.

Roy Clarke, the writer behind the show, also provided Tewson with her most memorable late career role playing Miss Davenport in Last of the Summer Wine between 2003 and 2010.

In 2012 she launched a one-woman show, Still Keeping Up Appearances?, touring across the UK.

The former EastEnders actor Debbie Arnold, 67, was among those paying tribute.

She tweeted: “So sad we lost 2 wonderful people firstly Bruce Montague [who starred as Leonard in sitcom Butterflies] and now two days later – Josephine Tewson.” She said she had worked with both actors in the West End. “We had such fun. I adored Jo.”

Carol Challis – the wife of actor John Challis, best known as Boycie in Only Fools and Horses – shared an image of her late husband and Tewson starring together in Last of the Summer Wine. She wrote: “Farewell to Josephine Tewson. John loved working with her on Last of the Summer Wine. Another one gone.”