Penelope Keith’s death sparked a sharp online debate after Kirstie Allsopp criticised BAFTA’s tribute wording.
BAFTA posted on X that it was “saddened to learn of the passing of Dame Penelope Keith”. Dame Penelope died aged 86. Her family confirmed she died peacefully at her home in Surrey whilst living with cancer.
Kirstie objected to the wording and said BAFTA should have used “death” instead. She wrote on X: “It’s ‘death’, Dame Penelope died, she was an absolute national treasure, she lived and worked and was brilliant and then she died. Dame Penelope did not ‘pass’, she was not a car or a bottle of ketchup.”
BAFTA’s full statement read: “We’re saddened to learn of the passing of Dame Penelope Keith, aged 86. A familiar face on stage and screen, Keith won a BAFTA for her iconic role in The Good Life in 1997 and another for her work in The Norman Conquests and Saving It For Albie in 1978, with a further three BAFTA nominations during her career.”
Why did Penelope Keith’s death turn into a wording row?
Kirstie kept arguing in the replies after other users defended the phrase. Some said “passed” sounded softer than “died”.
One person wrote: “I think it is a choice of words that different people are comfortable with. You should use what you feel comfortable using and let others use what they prefer. Let’s not judge, it is a personal viewpoint.”
Kirstie pushed back and pointed to the family’s own statement. She said: “BAFTA is an organisation not a person, and as Dame Penelope’s family statement said she had died, they should have at least reflected their language.”
Another critic accused her of posting “for clicks” and urged her to learn more about bereavement language. Kirstie rejected that argument.
She replied: “Many people who have mourned the death of people they loved find this type of euphemism very jarring indeed. They feel it takes away the impact of the event and turns it into a mere burp in the meal of life.”
Jeremy Clarkson backed her view. He wrote: “I loathe ‘passing’. Loathe it.”
BAFTA has been approached for comment.
What tributes revealed after Penelope Keith’s death
Dame Penelope’s family announced her death in a statement. They said: “We are deeply saddened to announce that Dame Penelope Keith died peacefully whilst living with cancer at her home in Surrey where she had lived for more than 50 years.
“The family is grateful for the care and support she received throughout her treatments, and ask that their privacy be respected at this time.”
Dame Penelope built her career on stage before television made her a household name. She joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1963.
Penelope became best known as Margo Leadbetter in The Good Life. She also starred in To The Manor Born as Audrey fforbes-Hamilton opposite Peter Bowles.
Dame Penelope Keith was best known on television for playing Margo Leadbetter in The Good Life and Audrey fforbes-Hamilton in To the Manor Born.
- The Good Life made her one of British television’s most recognisable comedy performers.
- To the Manor Born paired her with Peter Bowles in another of her signature roles.
- BAFTA said she won an award for The Good Life in 1977.
- BAFTA also credited her with a 1978 award for work connected to The Norman Conquests and Saving It For Albie, along with three further career nominations.
Tributes to Dame Penelope
Tributes followed quickly after Penelope Keith’s death. Actress Felicity Kendal called her a “comic genius” and praised their years together.
Felicity said: “I am deeply saddened to hear of my friend Penelope’s death. The shows I worked on with her were such special times in our lives and demonstrated her comic genius.”
- 1963: Joined the Royal Shakespeare Company.
- 1975: Reached a wider television audience in The Good Life.
- 1976: Won the Olivier Award for best comedy performance for Donkey’s Years.
- 1979: Began starring in To the Manor Born.
- Won the Bafta TV award for best light entertainment performance for The Good Life.
She added: “My heart goes out to her beloved Rodney at this time, theirs was a great love story and partnership. She was a joy to know and work with, and she will be much missed.”
Gyles Brandreth described Dame Penelope as “such a special lady – a wonderful actress, a real friend, so funny, so generous with the time she gave to good causes”. Sue Perkins hailed her as “queen, legend, icon”.