Linda Robson, 67, ’emotional’ as Pauline Quirke’s, 65, son shares health update amid mum’s dementia battle
Linda Robson has revealed she became “really emotional” after receiving a positive update about her friend Pauline Quirke’s battle with dementia.
The Loose Women star, 67, was touched when Quirke’s son Charlie called to share how his mother had been asking about her longtime friend.
Quirke, 65, was diagnosed with dementia in 2021, with her husband Steve Sheen announcing her retirement from public life in January this year.
The pair have been friends for over five decades and starred together in the hit sitcom Birds of a Feather.
Speaking on Loose Women: The Podcast, Robson shared the heartwarming update from Charlie Quirke.
“Charlie rang me and just said she is doing really, really well at the moment. Sometimes she has down days, but at the moment she is quite up about everything,” she explained.
The emotional moment came when Charlie revealed his mother had specifically asked about Robson.
“He said they got really, really excited when she said, ‘Here, where’s my mate Linda Robson?’ So I got quite emotional when he told me that as well.”
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The update comes after concerns about the progression of Quirke’s condition.
In February, Birds of a Feather co-writer Maurice Gran told the Mirror that Quirke was struggling to recognise family members.
“Since the diagnosis, her condition has gathered pace,” he said, adding: “She’s still only 65, so your heart goes out to her.
“Initially, she felt she was beginning to lose her grip. Now, we understand she struggles to identify members of her own family.”
Reflecting on their decades-long friendship, Robson described Quirke as an “amazing actress” and her “best friend”.
She fondly recalled their early success: “Amazing things have happened to us. When Birds of a Feather first came out, we started getting invited to everything. We got given VIP tickets to Stringfellows, and all these different places, we couldn’t believe our luck.”
When Quirke’s diagnosis was announced in January, Robson admitted it “breaks my heart to see her endure such a terrible illness”.
Quirke and Robson’s careers soared when they starred alongside Lesley Joseph in Birds of a Feather from 1989 to 1998.
The popular sitcom later returned for two Christmas specials after its original run ended. However, Robson confirmed there are no plans for the beloved show to make a comeback.
“No, it’s not going to come back. Because of Quirke, she’s not going to work again now,” she said.
Quirke has had a distinguished career beyond Birds of a Feather, appearing in ITV’s Broadchurch, Emmerdale, and BBC’s The Sculptress.
She was awarded an MBE for her charitable work, contributions to entertainment, and her work with young people. Her Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts has taught over 15,000 students, with Steve noting her “talent, dedication and vision have touched countless lives”.