Keeping Up Appearances: The Luxury Podcast

"We must never move; we'd be greatly missed." William Hanson and Jonathan Vernon-Smith are back for Christmas 2024 with a special episode discussing Dame Patricia Routledge and Roy Clarke's interviews for BBC4's Remembering series. Not only that, they chat with the owner of the Rover 216 (in tonic blue) and give some exciting luxury news for 2025.

Brush up on your royal protocol and prepare to curtsy as William Hanson and Jonathan Vernon-Smith discuss the final ever episode of Keeping Up Appearances, 'The Pageant'.  Hyacinth takes the lead for the church’s annual pageant ‘Our Town In The Civil War.’  Disaster strikes when Hyacinth realises all the volunteers have made wild excuses and not turned up, so she is forced to recruit the less desirable members of the family.

William Hanson and Jonathan Vernon-Smith read the synopses of the plots written by Harrold Snoad for Keeping Up Appearances that were never made for television (a huge shame!) and imagine what could have been.This episode was recorded before the sad death of Harold Snoad, producer/director of the BBC series.

Prepare yourself to master your craft and sparkle incandescently at future candlelight suppers as William Hanson and Jonathan Vernon-Smith discuss the tenth episode of series 5 of Keeping Up Appearances, 'The Hostess'. Hyacinth has taken an advertisement in the paper to offer up her services in educating the nation in gracious living. However, due to some innocent yet suspect wording, Hyacinth is hired for more than she had bargained.

In this special bonus episode of The Luxury Podcast, William Hanson and Jonathan Vernon-Smith welcome the expert of all things sterilised and pasteurised, it’s Robert Rawles who played The Milkman in Keeping Up Appearances.  Robert explains how he got the role, his first encounter with Dame Patricia Routledge and some of his most memorable moments on set.www.robrawles.com

Ready your nostrils for the finest upholstery and sheer sumptuousness of the ride, as William Hanson and Jonathan Vernon-Smith discuss the ninth episode of series 5 of Keeping Up Appearances, The Rolls-Royce.  Hyacinth is outraged when she comes second place with her freestyle floral decoration for a table centre piece comes second to Lydia Hawksworth who upstages her twice over with her brand new luxury car.  Hyacinth decides to take revenge by recruiting Richard who ends up in a brush with the law. 

In today’s bonus episode of The Luxury Podcast, William Hanson and Jonathan Vernon-Smith discuss Dame Patricia Routledge and Clive Swift's work outside of Keeping Up Appearances.  Dame Patricia played Kitty in a number of sketches that may have inspired the character and traits of Hyacinth.  Clive Swift gets caught in a bad mood during an interview and the Young Hyacinth spin-off is met with criticism from Jonathan.Watch the Kitty Sketches on Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-iDlTBZhKghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wisQQueMPxMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSYZSFiLKJY&t=9shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqAobOSUubQ

Raid your wardrobe and prepare yourself for a superlative summer evening brimming with caviar, Champagne, quails’ eggs and cut glass finger bowls, as William Hanson and Jonathan Vernon-Smith discuss the eighth episode of series 5 of Keeping Up Appearances, A Barbecue At Violet’s.  Sister Violet is having marital troubles, so Hyacinth seizes the opportunity to throw a BBQ and invite Elizabeth and Emmet as a way of convincing him to involve her with the upcoming performance of The Boyfriend.