Birds of a Feather star Pauline Quirke’s dementia has advanced far enough that she no longer recognises her own family, a close friend has revealed.
The star was diagnosed with dementia in 2021 at just 61-years-old, but her diagnosis was not made public until last month by her TV producer husband Steve Sheen.
The actor, who is now 65-years-old, has starred in Birds of a Feather, Emmerdale, Broadchurch and The Sculptress. A close friend has revealed that she is now struggling to remember her own relatives, as her dementia develops further.
Maurice Gran, who alongside Laurence Marks, wrote the award-winning sitcom Birds of a Feather, told the Mirror that Pauline’s co-star Lesley Joseph, who played Dorien Green in the show, rang him shortly before Pauline’s retirement was announced.
He said: “Last month, Lesley phoned me to ask if Pauline’s husband, Steve Sheen, had been in touch.”
“I told her no. ‘Well,’ said Lesley, ‘he’s going to go public about Pauline to put a stop to all the speculation.’”
Rumours had been spread about a rift between Pauline – who played Sharon Theodopolopodous in the BBC comedy show – and her on-screen sister Linda Robson, who played Tracey Stubbs, for years.
Speculation grew further when Pauline refused to take part in any more episodes after the 2014-17 reboot.
Maurice said: “Since the diagnosis, her condition has gathered pace.
“She’s still only 65 so your heart goes out to her. Initially, she felt she was beginning to lose her grip. Now, we understand she struggles to identify members of her own family.“
He said the alleged feud between the on-screen sisters was always overblown, as Linda and Pauline go back a long way – to primary school in north London.
“They’re like sisters,” he went on. “But it’s nonsense. It’s no more than sibling rivalry, like in any family.”
By 2017, rumours had spread further- one of them wasn’t talking to the other, Pauline was refusing to do any more episodes of Birds, and any trace of her character was stripped out of the 2020 Christmas special.
But the truth ran deeper. In 2021, Pauline was finally diagnosed with dementia, beginning a slow withdrawal into her shell.
In both Laurence and Maurice’s opinion, Pauline and Linda were born to play Sharon and Tracey. They were inspired to write the characters after spotting two over-dressed women – one in gold lame and the other in silver – who “looked like gangsters’ molls,” on a night out.
Maurice said: “As soon as I told Laurence this story, he immediately said – ‘Linda and Pauline.’ We’d worked with them on Harvey Moon and had been looking for another vehicle for them.
“By page 8 of the first script, we couldn’t keep up with what they were saying. Then, as soon as Lesley Joseph made her entrance as Dorien Green, she just took over, a force of nature.”
Pauline’s dementia diagnosis was a massive blow to Maurice, who was hugely fond of the main female characters of the sitcom, for which he and Laurence wrote 102 episodes for the BBC and a further eight for ITV.
“I’ve always said that Pauline’s talent made our words sound better. It couldn’t be sadder,” added Maurice.
In January 2025, Pauline’s retirement was announced in a heartbreaking statement by her husband Steve, who said: “It is with a heavy heart that I announce my wife Pauline’s decision to step back from all professional and commercial duties due to her diagnosis of Dementia in 2021.”
He paid tribute to his wife’s career, adding: “In drama, her BAFTA-nominated role in The Sculptress, was outstanding, as was her role as the mysterious Susan Wright in ITV‘s Broadchurch.
“Demonstrating her acting versatility, she also starred or appeared in more than 60 TV and film productions, including Carrie’s War, North and South, Casualty, Cold Blood, Thieving Headmistress, My Family, You, Me and the Apocalypse, and of course Emmerdale.”
Adding that his wife now wants to spend time with her family, he concluded: “We kindly request privacy and understanding for Pauline and our family during this difficult period.
“For the time being we will not be engaging in interviews or making further statements, since Pauline just wants to spend time with her family, children and grandchildren. We are deeply grateful for the support from her peers, the public, and the dedicated staff and Principals at PQA (Pauline Quirke Academy).”