Elizabeth Warden
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Warden is a fictional character in the British
situation comedy series Keeping Up Appearances
, that first aired from 1990 to 1995. She is played by actress Josephine Tewson
, and lives next-door to social-climbing snob Hyacinth Bucket
. She appeared in almost every episode.
cups with the hand-painted periwinkle
s, much to the devastation of her friend. Even the most trivial of events—such as Hyacinth raising her voice or the telephone ringing—causes Liz’s nerves to completely collapse. Hyacinth soon learns to offer her a beaker
, but Liz still manages to spill even that. The coffee-spilling scenario is a long-running gag of the series
, providing some of the show's humour. The most spectacular scene involving the Royal Doulton is when Hyacinth manages a catch when Liz flings one of the precious periwinkle cups into the air.
She is addressed as Liz by everyone who knows her, except by Hyacinth, who usually refers to her as "Elizabeth" in full.
Unlike most, Liz sympathises with Hyacinth, fully aware that she's hated by everyone around her and is oblivious of it, and may thus be Hyacinth's only real friend. She also displays a reluctance to treat her cruelly like her brother Emmet
, who relishes doing so—in a series four episode, Hyacinth tries to give the impression to Emmet that she can ride horses; fully aware she can't, Emmet persuades Hyacinth to go riding with him.
Liz has a husband, who is never seen and only mentioned at least twice throughout the entire series, who works in Saudi Arabia
; she also has a daughter called Gail, who is also never seen but is confirmed to be studying at university.
Liz is fond of Richard, calling him "rather a dear" after her brother disparages him as an "idiot". She is the comforting ear to which Richard
can express the reality of Hyacinth's snobbish endeavours, which are either either geared towards lifting her up the social ladder or to avoid her lower-class relatives to prevent her falling down it. Although Hyacinth always tries to divert her lower-class clan away from Liz and her brother Emmet (like she does with every other character), Hyacinth considers Liz to be a close friend; hence when Hyacinth's status is on the brink of collapse, on occasions Liz will be dragged into her neighbour's contrived plots to help prevent such results. Hyacinth may drag Liz into helping her fend off Hyacinth's lower-class relatives. While Elizabeth did actually meet Rose, Onslow, and Daisy, Hyacinth would still go to great lengths to prevent her from seeing their shabby house.
Liz owns a white 1988 Austin Metro, which appeared in most episodes. She is often the target of Hyacinth's tactless and unintentionally hurtful comments, mostly regarding her clothing, car and frequent coffee spillages.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
situation comedy series Keeping Up Appearances
Keeping Up Appearances
Keeping Up Appearances is a British sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke for the BBC. Centred on the life of eccentric, social-climbing snob Hyacinth Bucket , the sitcom portrays a social hierarchy-ruled British society...
, that first aired from 1990 to 1995. She is played by actress Josephine Tewson
Josephine Tewson
Josephine Tewson is an English actress. Tewson is perhaps best known for her roles as Elizabeth in the British television series Keeping Up Appearances and as Miss Davenport in the British television series Last of the Summer Wine.-Early life:Tewson was born in Hampstead, London. Her father was a...
, and lives next-door to social-climbing snob Hyacinth Bucket
Hyacinth Bucket
Hyacinth Bucket, who insists her last name is pronounced "Bouquet" , is the main character in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances , played by Patricia Routledge.-Personality:...
. She appeared in almost every episode.
Characteristics
Liz is a friendly pushover who appreciates the difficulty Richard Bucket must have in living with her neighbour, who frequently invites Elizabeth round for coffee. Unfortunately for Liz, knowing Hyacinth is obsessively house-proud, she becomes nervous and repeatedly spills and drops things in Hyacinth's home throughout the series, especially Hyacinth's Royal DoultonRoyal Doulton
The Royal Doulton Company is an English company producing tableware and collectables, dating to 1815. Operating originally in London, its reputation grew in The Potteries, where it was a latecomer compared to Spode, Wedgwood and Minton...
cups with the hand-painted periwinkle
Vinca
Vinca is a genus of six species in the family Apocynaceae, native to Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia. The English name periwinkle is shared with the related genus Catharanthus .-Description:Vinca plants are subshrubs or herbaceous, and have slender trailing stems 1–2 m long...
s, much to the devastation of her friend. Even the most trivial of events—such as Hyacinth raising her voice or the telephone ringing—causes Liz’s nerves to completely collapse. Hyacinth soon learns to offer her a beaker
Beaker (drinkware)
A beaker is a beverage container, and a term used in parts of the UK. A beaker is typically a non-disposable plastic or ceramic cup or mug without a handle, much like a laboratory beaker....
, but Liz still manages to spill even that. The coffee-spilling scenario is a long-running gag of the series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
, providing some of the show's humour. The most spectacular scene involving the Royal Doulton is when Hyacinth manages a catch when Liz flings one of the precious periwinkle cups into the air.
She is addressed as Liz by everyone who knows her, except by Hyacinth, who usually refers to her as "Elizabeth" in full.
Unlike most, Liz sympathises with Hyacinth, fully aware that she's hated by everyone around her and is oblivious of it, and may thus be Hyacinth's only real friend. She also displays a reluctance to treat her cruelly like her brother Emmet
Emmet Hawksworth
Emmet Hawksworth is a fictional character in the British comedy series Keeping Up Appearances portrayed by actor David Griffin, and introduced into the series at the beginning of series two...
, who relishes doing so—in a series four episode, Hyacinth tries to give the impression to Emmet that she can ride horses; fully aware she can't, Emmet persuades Hyacinth to go riding with him.
Liz has a husband, who is never seen and only mentioned at least twice throughout the entire series, who works in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
; she also has a daughter called Gail, who is also never seen but is confirmed to be studying at university.
Liz is fond of Richard, calling him "rather a dear" after her brother disparages him as an "idiot". She is the comforting ear to which Richard
Richard Bucket
Richard Bucket is a fictional character played by Clive Swift in the British comedy TV series Keeping Up Appearances, which was aired from 1990 to 1995...
can express the reality of Hyacinth's snobbish endeavours, which are either either geared towards lifting her up the social ladder or to avoid her lower-class relatives to prevent her falling down it. Although Hyacinth always tries to divert her lower-class clan away from Liz and her brother Emmet (like she does with every other character), Hyacinth considers Liz to be a close friend; hence when Hyacinth's status is on the brink of collapse, on occasions Liz will be dragged into her neighbour's contrived plots to help prevent such results. Hyacinth may drag Liz into helping her fend off Hyacinth's lower-class relatives. While Elizabeth did actually meet Rose, Onslow, and Daisy, Hyacinth would still go to great lengths to prevent her from seeing their shabby house.
Liz owns a white 1988 Austin Metro, which appeared in most episodes. She is often the target of Hyacinth's tactless and unintentionally hurtful comments, mostly regarding her clothing, car and frequent coffee spillages.