Linda Robson with Pauline Quirke

Loose Women star Linda Robson has opened up about her friend Pauline Quirke’s dementia diagnosis, and remembered the moment she realised something was wrong

Linda Robson has opened up about the moment she noticed something “wasn’t right” with her close friend and ‘Birds of a Feather’ co-star Pauline Quirke. Pauline, 65, was diagnosed with dementia in 2021, but the illness only became public knowledge when her husband Steve Sheen made an announcement in January this year.

Linda, 66, expressed concern when Pauline stopped returning her calls, saying: “I hadn’t spoken to her for a little while and I kept wondering why she hadn’t returned my calls. Eventually, Steve phoned me back. Lesley [Joseph] and I went for lunch with her and that’s when we realised something wasn’t right with her, and that was three years ago.”

The news hit Linda hard, yet she respected the family’s privacy and kept the diagnosis confidential, vowing to secrecy. “I’ve known for the last three years that she wasn’t well,” the Loose Women panellist added to Bella Magazine.

“I managed to keep it a secret. It was very important that I did, because it was up to her family when it was time for them to let everyone know. Steve was taking her away a lot, just to get her out of the country.”

In the wake of the public statement in January, Steve informed fans about Pauline’s withdrawal from her professional engagements and commercial responsibilities because of her dementia. However, he assured that Pauline’s UK-wide performing arts academy would continue to thrive, remaining true to her ideals and vision, reports Bristol Live.

Pauline Quirke with husband Steve Sheen

Pauline Quirke’s husband went public with her Dementia diagnosis in January 2025

In a heart-wrenching update, Linda revealed that Pauline, her friend of over 50 years and co-star in Birds of a Feather, no longer recognises her or speaks much during their FaceTime calls. Despite ruling out any further filming for the sitcom without Pauline, Linda plans to honour her long-time friend in other ways.

Over her 50-year career, Pauline has graced more than 60 television and film productions, including The Sculptress, Broadchurch, Carrie’s War, North and South, Casualty, and ITV soap Emmerdale. Dementia manifests differently in different people, but there are some common early signs that may appear before a diagnosis, according to the NHS.

Common early symptoms of dementia

  • Memory loss
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks
  • Struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word
  • Being confused about a time and place
  • Mood changes

The NHS website explains: “These symptoms are often mild and may get worse only very gradually.