Linda Robson on heartbreaking reason Pauline Quirke quit Birds of a Feather

11 February 2024 , 12:31

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Loose Women's Linda Robson has been friends with Pauline Quirke for more than 50 years

Linda Robson has revealed the heartbreaking reason her Birds of a Feather co-star Pauline Quirke left the show.

Loose Women star Linda, 65, explained in a new interview that 64-year-old Pauline in front of a live audience as she “doubted herself”. Linda said: “When we finished work at night, Pauline couldn’t wait to get home [...] and we all knew that she had never enjoyed the studio days where we had to perform in front of the live audience. For someone who is as brilliant as Pauline, it’s really sad how much she doubts her own ability and gets herself so nervous.”

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Loose Women star Linda, 65, explained in a new interview that 64-year-old Pauline missed her family and never enjoyed performing in front of a live audience

Speaking to , Linda even shared the exact way Pauline told her she didn’t want to do the Birds of a Feather Christmas special commissioned in 2020. “‘I don’t want to act any more’ she said,” Linda told the outlet, noting that Pauline continued, “‘It’s not Birds Of A Feather itself, it’s everything. I feel like I’m done with it. I feel bad for you two, but you can go on without me’.” After the news was announced, Linda said she knew that rumours would circulate that the pair had fallen out.

In the same interview, Linda was quick to pour cold water on reports that she has a "feud" with Pauline, who she has had a friendship with for over 50 years.

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Linda and Pauline were last seen publicly together in 2022, when they looked to bury any fallout rumours by meeting up with their Birds of a Feather co-star Lesley Joseph for a lunch in Central London (mirror.co.uk)

The ITV panellist has said that there has never been any fallout between the pair, who met when at a North London primary school. Linda described how they had been pals since primary school and used to play games together in the streets after school before joining a drama club as they headed into their teenage years. They eventually hit the heights in the 1980s when Birds of a Feather became as popular as Only Fools and Horses, bringing in tens of millions of viewers with each episode.

Linda was steadfast in saying that her friendship with Pauline would outlive any TV show as they had been there "for each other through thick and thin and for every single major life event”.

They were last seen publicly together in 2022, when they looked to bury any fallout rumours by meeting up with their Birds of a Feather co-star Lesley Joseph for a lunch in Central London.

Aisha Nozari