Linda Robson issues statement after best friend Pauline Quirke’s dementia diagnosis
Linda Robson has shared an emotional message after her Birds Of A Feather co-star Pauline Quirke revealed her dementia diagnosis.
The actresses began working together decades ago when both of their careers began, but they’re best known as the combative sisters whose husbands go to jail in the sitcom, which first aired on the BBC in 1989.
Last week, Quirke’s husband, Steve Sheen, said she will retire from ‘all professional and commercial duties’ and revealed her condition, which he said was diagnosed in 2021.
Loose Women star Robson, 66, began writing on Instagram this weekend: ‘This will be the only time I speak on behalf of my best friend, Pauline.’
‘For the past three years, I’ve been in close contact with her husband, Steve, and have spent time with Pauline,’ she continued.
‘It breaks my heart to see her endure such a terrible illness.
‘Out of respect for her family and her privacy, I will not be discussing this matter further.’
She accompanied her post with two photos, one being a recent selfie as the pair smiled and another showing them in their early days.
Underneath the post, co-stars and fans offered their support, with the likes of Claire Sweeney, Gaby Roslin, and Charley Webb commenting red hearts.
‘That’s a true friend right there … well done you Linda , sending love to you and Pauline x’, wrote juliehemstedt65.
‘Always Sharon and Tracey, you provide comfort to us with your shows, now it’s time for us to show comfort to you both, thinking of you all ❤️’, added jennysoles.
Quirke, 65, and Robson were in the slapstick film Junket 89 and the series You Must Be Joking! during the 1970s and later in the 1980s, Shine On Harvey Moon.
Robson and Quirke began their careers together
Robson also appeared on Quirke’s chat show, Pauline’s Quirkes, which she began presenting as a teenager.
As for Birds of a Feather, the cast also included Lesley Joseph, who played the snobbish and flirty Dorien Green.
The programme was off-air between 1998 and 2014 before it was revived for a full series on ITV.
It continued until 2016 and then enjoyed Christmas specials, including one in 2020, from which Quirke was absent.
Elsewhere in her career, which has spanned 50 years, Quirke has starred in Broadchurch, Casualty, and Emmerdale.
In 2022, she was awarded an MBE in the late Queen’s final Birthday Honours, recognising her work with young people and contribution to Entertainment.
Neither Quirke nor her family plans to give any interviews ‘for the time being,’ as she wishes to simply ‘spend time with her family, children, and grandchildren.’
Quirke, who married Sheen in 1996, has a 30-year-old son named Charlie with her husband. She’s also a mother to Emily, 40, from a previous relationship.
Alzheimer’s and dementia: the facts
The most common forms of dementia (symptoms of a decline in brain function) are Alzheimer’s disease followed by vascular dementia.
Alzheimer’s is caused when plaques and tangles form in the brain making it increasingly hard for it to function properly. Early symptoms include forgetting recent events, struggling to remember words, becoming disorientated in familiar places and finding it difficult to concentrate.
Common early symptoms of vascular dementia include problems making decisions or following a series of steps, such as cooking a meal; slower speed of thought and trouble sleeping. The condition can also cause significant mood changes and depression and make people behave completely out of character.
Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer – and one in three babies born today will develop dementia in their lifetime. The risk of developing both Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia roughly doubles every five years from the age of 65. Women and men are affected equally. Diabetes, obesity, heart problems and high blood pressure all increase the risk.
However, you can significantly reduce your chances of developing the diseases by leading a healthy lifestyle – not smoking or drinking to excess, eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise. Keeping mentally and socially active is also beneficial.
The third most common form of dementia – accounting for an estimated 20 per cent of cases – is Lewy body. With this condition, tiny clumps of protein appear in the brain’s nerve cells, causing a range of issues including mood swings, problems processing thoughts, hallucinations, difficulty balancing and walking slowly. Although DLB (dementia with Lewy body) can affect people under 65, it is much more common as we age, affecting men and women equally.
There is currently no cure for any of the forms of dementia. But getting an early diagnosis is very important in allowing you and your loved ones to access all the medical and social support available. If you are worried that you have any of the symptoms, your GP will be able to refer you to a specialist who can carry out a range of tests.
If you are worried that yours or someone else’s symptoms may be dementia, download the Alzheimer’s Society symptoms checklist, on alzheimers.org.uk; for more information or support on anything you’ve read here, call our support line on 0333 150 3456 or visit our website.
Linda Robson issues statement after best friend Pauline Quirke’s dementia diagnosis