Insult: Patricia Routledge said the BBC is run by 'ten-year-old children'

Actress Patricia Routledge has claimed that the BBC is run by '10-year-old children' after bosses decided not to recommission her detective series.

The former star of Keeping Up Appearances, who played suburban snob Hyacinth Bucket, is angry over the way it dumped Hetty Wainthropp Investigates.

She has broken her silence over how the corporation chiefs axed the show, claiming they did not even have the decency to tell her what was going on.

Miss Routledge, 79, this week said: 'We were betrayed by the BBC. We finished series four of Hetty Wainthropp, we were told there was going to be series five.

'But no word ever came - how rude! The BBC is run by 10-year-old children.'

The actress, who was awarded a CBE in 2004, has clearly been harbouring resentment about the way the show ended a decade ago.

Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, which aired on BBC1 between 1996 and 1998, followed the crime-fighting antics of a 'sprightly' and 'intelligent' pensioner.

The show, set in a village in Lancashire, which ran for 22 episodes, saw her become a private investigator, despite her lazy husband.

Routledge has had a prolific career in theatre, particularly musical theatre, in the UK and the US.

She has also previously been honoured with an OBE as well as a Tony, an Olivier and a British Comedy award in a hugely successful career.

Axed: Patricia on the set of BBC drama Hetty Wainthropp Investigates with co-star Kate Lonergan who played Dawn Halliwell. The show was dropped in 1998

During the BBC's 60th anniversary awards in 1996 she was voted as the country's most popular actress.

Miss Routledge, who has starred in a number of Alan Bennett plays, was said to have been one of the late Queen Mother's favourite performers.

The actress, originally from Birkenhead and who now lives in Chichester, West Sussex, has never married.

She has previously said: 'People have always pitied spinsters. We have been derided, as if we had missed out on life. Well, we need not miss out on anything today.'

The performer is currently playing Queen Mary in the touring show Crown Matrimonial.

Routledge's complaints have echoes of other esteemed broadcasters who have been the subject of alleged rough treatment from the corporation.

Last year the BBC famously removed Moira Stuart from her news-reading job sparking claims that she was dumped because of her age.

Keeping Up Appearances: Patricia Routledge as Hyacinth Bucket

The year before that  Anna Ford launched a parting shot at the BBC, accusing it of ageism.

She said TV presenters are not encouraged to have 'lines on their faces'.

Others including BBC news-reader Peter Sissons have made similar complaints.

Many believe that the corporation is obsessed with attracting younger viewers, to the point where if often ignores many of its most loyal older audiences.

The row over Nick Ross's departure from Crimewatch was because youth obsessed TV bosses wanted to make it appealing to a new audience.