Linda Robson has spoken about how she plans to support her best friend Pauline Quirke after the Birds Of A Feather star was diagnosed with dementia in 2021

Pauline Quirke, pictured with Linda Robson, is struggling to identify family members due to dementia, friends have said (Image: ITV)

Loose Women star Linda Robson has issued a heartbreaking update on Pauline Quirke’s dementia diagnosis, revealing that the actress “doesn’t know who anybody is” anymore.

Last month, Pauline’s husband Steve Sheen said that his wife will step away from acting and retire from “all professional and commercial duties” after being diagnosed with dementia in 2021.

Following the announcement, Pauline’s Birds Of A Feather co-star Linda Robson said that she was “heartbroken” for her best friend who she has known since they were 10 years old.

The friends have worked together from almost the beginning of their careers decades ago, but are best known as the combative sisters whose husbands go to jail in the sitcom which began on the BBC in 1989.

Linda has since revealed that she has FaceTimed Pauline a few times this year and is hoping to go and visit her later this month.

Speaking to The Sun at the TV Choice Awards, Linda shared the devastating reality of Pauline’s illness and said she will be “taking everything really slowly for her”.

She said: ““She doesn’t know who anybody is. She doesn’t know who I am or who her kids are. Dementia is terrible – I’d rather get cancer, because at least then you’ve got a chance.”

Pauline Quirke has been diagnosed with dementia (Image: Anthony Harvey)
Linda, whose mum also had dementia, said that she would never do another episode of Birds Of A Feather as it “wouldn’t be the same without Pauline.”

The sitcom wasn’t the only time the best friends worked together. 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 also appeared in Quirke’s chat show Pauline’s Quirkes, which she began presenting as a teenager. Linda, 66, broke down in tears when discussing Pauline’s diagnosis on Loose Women last month before being supported by her co-stars.

Speaking to Heat, Linda opened up about the powerful scenes and said that it was “so important” to talk about the illness.

She said: “I’ve known about it for three years. We’d managed to keep it quiet until her husband Steve decided it was time to let everyone know. We’ve been best friends since we were 10 years old so it’s been really, really hard.

“One in two people get dementia now. My mum was one of them and loads of my friends’ mums are starting to get diagnosed.”