Stars of iconic TV series reunite 27 years after hit show ended as rare snap delights
The joint snap delighted fans on Instagram who admitted the duo were "the best" and that the picture had "made my day."
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The image, taken in a restaurant, saw actor Dom Monaghan posing with fellow screen icon Dame Patricia Routledge, 96.
The pair starred together in BBC series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, with Patricia playing the 60-year-old Lancashire lass solving mysteries with common sense.
Dom, 48, played her assistant Geoffrey Shawcross from 1996 to 1998 and the duo clearly still have a close bond.
The Lord of the Rings star posted their happy snap to his page and wrote: "25 YEARS later!
"So wonderful to see Dame Patricia.
"We always shared a love of acting, of actors, of the natural world and all of the curiosities of life, it was fantastic to spend a couple of hours doing the same!
"She still tells fantastic stories, loves great food and wine, and as always is sharp as a tack, with fantastic skin and style.
"She taught me so much, and continues to do so, aging with a class and quality I hope to emulate."
He then added the caption: "hettywainthroppinvestigates forever! #becurious."
The series ran spanned four series before it wrapped in 1998.
Fans were left delighted by the unexpected reunion and one put: "So happy you got to meet up with her again after all these years.
"Her storytelling is amazing."
A second put: "The Hetty Wainthropp duo reunited!! That was such a lovely show. You both look very well!"
A third gushed: "This absolutely made our day to see the two of you together again."
One then confessed: "I am legit crying she's a national treasure."
Another posted: "Awww this is so heartwarming ty for sharing Dom!" as one surmised: "This is the best!!
"I loved you two in Hetty Wainthrop! You had such a good relationship on screen."
Dame Patricia was left annoyed when the show wrapped and at the time she 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."
SCREEN QUEEN
Previously, Dame Patricia stunned diners as she stepped out at a restaurant just before Christmas.
She also played snobby character Hyacinth Bucket in the hit series Keeping Up Appearances, which ran from 1990 to 1995.
After a glittering stage career she made her film debut in 1967's To Sir With Love as teacher Clinty Clintridge alongside singer Lulu and actor Sidney Poitier.
She later scored household fame when she played Keeping Up Appearances' iconic character Hyacinth Bucket - of course pronounced Bouquet - for the show's five-year run.
She also starred in Talking Heads, a series of dramatic monologues written for the BBC by acclaimed playwright Alan Bennett.
He wrote three especially for her – A Lady of Letters, Miss Fozzard Finds her Feet and A Woman of No Importance.
Despite her age and a career spanning more than 70 years, the star still looks incredibly youthful.
In 2017, Patricia, who has never married and does not have children, was made a Dame thanks to her services to entertainment and charity.
She is a patron of the Beatrix Potter Society and in 2008 received a Doctors of Letters degree from Lancaster University for her contribution to drama and theatre.
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