Linda Robson's bitter 'feud' with Birds of a Feather co-star Pauline Quirke

14 November 2023 , 11:28

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Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke were swept up in feud rumours

Linda Robson became swept up in rumours of a bitter falling out with her Birds of a Feather co-star and lifelong friend Pauline Quirke following a special episode.

The feud rumours were sparked when Pauline was nowhere to be seen in the Birds of a Feather special back in 2020. It left fans convinced that she and Linda had ended their friendship of fifty years. The two co-stars entertained viewers for decades as sisters Tracey and Sharon, who were left to fend for themselves after their husbands were arrested for armed robbery.

Yet for the 2020 Christmas special, Pauline did not make an appearance. Her lines in the title song were removed and so were pictures of Tracey and Sharon together. It was claimed Linda and Pauline had become estranged and last year Linda decided to address the rumours.

The co-stars shut down rumours as they reunited for a 'lovely lunch' (mirror.co.uk)

She told The Mirror: "People say Pauline and I have fallen out. Obviously I couldn't see her during lockdown but I've seen her since. She just doesn't want to act anymore. She's had enough - it's long hours. She's concentrating on her drama academies. She's very hands on, going to classes and all that.

"I see Lesley [Joseph] all the time because we won Celebrity Coach Trip last year. And during the lockdowns I would leave funny things on her doorstep, like Tena Lady and hair dye! But when I was ill, both Pauline and Lesley rang me, or a member of my family, every couple of days to see how I was. They were both a big support and really there for me."

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Linda was also recently swept up in Loose Women feud rumours. In response, she said: "Just because it's a women's show people always ask 'Do we get on?' We do get on. They wouldn't ask that of a man about a men's show would they? We all meet up with each other all the time."

However, speaking earlier this year Linda warned her former co-stars to "watch out". The ITV star revealed she is set to dish the dirt in her tell-all book. She insisted that she "doesn't care" about hurting feelings or ruffling feathers as she's set to tell the 'truth' about certain former members of the Loose Women panel.

Linda shared: “I don’t care about the people not in my family, but I don’t want to upset anyone in my family. At the moment the book is called, 'In All Honesty', which I think is really boring and on the back of the book there is going to be a picture of me with a zip over my mouth.

“A few people have annoyed me or upset me, they better watch out for themselves, because they’re in the book and I’m coming for them. But mostly I’ll be nice about everybody," she told her Loose Women co-star, Kaye Adams, on her podcast How To Be 60.

Linda has confirmed she and her husband Mark Dunford are no longer together after 33 years of marriage. She sparked speculation of marriage woes for months as she spoke about her and Mark's relationship on Loose Women. Speaking in September, Linda said she was "not looking for anyone", before swearing and saying she "can't be f***ked".

She said to Woman magazine of her ex-husband Mark: "He’s a really good dad and we had some good years, but enough is enough. I’ve got my family and my kids around me. And I’m going on a cruise with Lesley Joseph in November. I’m keeping busy. I feel fine. I’m just going away on trips all the time."

Mia O'Hare