Kirstie Allsopp rages at BAFTA for coverage of Penelope Keith's death

Kirstie Allsopp ranted at BAFTA for its coverage of Dame Penelope Keith's death, as she raged 'she was an absolute national treasure' in response to their statement. 

Dame Penelope, one of Britain's best-loved comedy actresses, known for sitcoms The Good Life and To The Manor Born, died aged 86 following a cancer diagnosis. 

TV presenter Kirstie, 54, was unhappy with the use of the word 'passing' to describe Dame Penelope's death in their announcement, which they shared to X on Monday.

BAFTA's 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.'

Taking umbrage with the phrasing, Kirstie said: 'It's "death", Dame Penelope died, she was an absolute national treasure, she lived & worked and was brilliant and then she died. Dame Penelope did not "pass", she was not a car or a bottle of ketchup.'

Kirstie's fury continued in the comments section of the post, as she argued with critics who said that they thought 'passed' was less harsh than 'died'.

Kirstie Allsopp furiously ranted at BAFTA for its coverage of Penelope Keith's death as she raged 'she was an absolute national treasure' in response to their statement (stock image)

BAFTA's statement, which caused Allsopp to criticise the organisation for describing her death as 'passing'

The TV presenter took to X on Monday to show her disapproval of BAFTA's statement

One thoughtful person said: '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'.

However, Kirstie 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.'

A statement issued on behalf of her family 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.'

Another person said that it felt like a more compassionate choice of wording, while Kirstie argued that euphemisms for dying 'are not in the least compassionate'.

Another X user said: 'You need to stop posting for clicks and learn some language used around bereavement and those grieving. This was unnecessary.'

Dame Penelope, one of Britain's best-loved comedy actresses, known for sitcoms The Good Life and To The Manor Born, died aged 86 following a cancer diagnosis

Kirstie said that because BAFTA is an organisation and not a person, they should have followed the language used by Dame Penelope's family

Another person said that it felt like a more compassionate choice of wording, while Kirstie argued that euphemisms for dying 'are not in the least compassionate'

However, not everyone disagreed with Kirstie, including Jeremy Clarkson, who replied: 'I loathe "passing". Loathe it'

But Kirstie doubled down and said: '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.'

However, not everyone disagreed with Kirstie as many commented saying they also have an issue with the word 'passing' to depict death.

Among them was Jeremy Clarkson, who replied: 'I loathe "passing". Loathe it'.

The Daily Mail have contacted a BAFTA spokesperson for comment. 

The actress, who married former policeman Roger Timson in 1978 and had two adopted sons, died at her 17th-century home in Milford, Surrey, following a battle with cancer. 

Dame Penelope started her career on the stage and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1963, but became a household name for her TV roles in some of the country's most popular sitcoms.

She won a BAFTA in 1977 for The Good Life, in which she played snobbish suburbanite Margo Leadbetter, who lives in Surbiton, next door to Tom and Barbara Good (Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal), with her husband Jerry (Paul Eddington).

In an attempt to escape the rat race, the Goods try to become self-sufficient, turning their garden into an allotment and introducing farmyard animals, much to Margo and Jerry's horror. 

The BBC's To The Manor Born Dame ran for three years, from 1979, and starred Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles