Loose Women star Linda Robson said she had been in ‘close contact’ with her best friend Pauline Quirke’s husband over the past three years and had spent time with the actor

Linda and Pauline played sisters in sitcom Birds of a Feather(Image: TV Times/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Linda Robson has taken to Instagram to express her heartbreak over the dementia diagnosis of her Birds Of A Feather co-star and long-time friend, Pauline Quirke.

The pair have been working together since the early days of their careers, but are most recognised for their roles as feisty sisters in the popular sitcom that first aired on BBC in 1989.

Last week, Pauline’s husband Steve Sheen announced her retirement from “all professional and commercial duties” due to her condition, which was diagnosed in 2021. Loose Women star Robson, 66, took to Instagram to share her feelings: “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. 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.”

Pauline, 65, and Linda, 66, have shared screen time in various projects including the comedy film Junket 89, and the series You Must Be Joking! during the 1970s, and Shine On Harvey Moon in the 1980s . Robson also made appearances in Quirke’s chat show Pauline’s Quirkes, which she started hosting as a teenager.

Birds of A Feather, which also featured Lesley Joseph as the flirtatious Dorien Green, had a hiatus between 1998 and 2014 before making a comeback for a full series on ITV. The show ran until 2016 and then returned for Christmas specials, including one in 2020 in which Pauline didn’t appear.