‘SHE’S STILL IN THERE… I FELT IT IN MY HEART.’ Linda Robson Broke Down In Tears As She Shared The Heart-Wrenching Reunion With Her Best Friend Pauline Quirke, Who Is Battling Dementia. Sitting Together For Their Last Lunch, Linda Revealed The Tearful Moments That Shattered Her, Saying, ‘I Could See Glimpses Of The Pauline I’ve Known All My Life, And It Hit Me Like A Punch To The Chest.’ Fans Flooded Social Media With Emotional Tributes, Declaring, ‘This Is What True Friendship Looks Like,’ And, ‘Watching Linda Fight To Hold Onto Her Friend Is Both Heartbreaking And Beautiful.’ As Linda Spoke About Holding Pauline’s Hand And Hearing Her Laugh Despite The Fog Of Memory Loss, She Choked Out: ‘I’ll Keep Fighting For Her, Even When She Can’t Remember Me.’ This Emotional Update Became A Tearful, Explosive Reminder Of Love, Loyalty, And The Fragility Of Life, Leaving Viewers Across The Nation Reaching For Tissues And Reflecting On Their Own Bonds

Linda Robson has opened up about the heartbreaking decline of her lifelong friend and Birds Of A Feather co-star Pauline Quirke, revealing a rare moment of joy during their most recent reunion despite Pauline’s worsening dementia.

Appearing on BBC Breakfast alongside Pauline’s son Charlie, Linda said she still makes sure to see her friend regularly, even though Pauline stepped away from public life after her 2021 diagnosis. Linda recalled their most recent meet-up at a restaurant and shared: she was “just giggling and really enjoying it… she ate everything as well”, adding that she left feeling relieved because “she was happy, and I knew they were looking after her really well.”

Linda and Pauline’s friendship stretches back to when they were ten years old at theatre school, decades before they became household names through Pauline’s Quirkes, Shine On Harvey Moon, Jobs For The Girls and, most famously, Birds Of A Feather.

Charlie, who is now embarking on a 140km fundraising trek retracing his mum’s life and career, said raising awareness is vital. He explained that his mum’s dementia “progresses and changes every day” and that although the family don’t know what stage she is in, “she still smiles, laughs, says ‘I love you’ every time she sees us.”

Pauline’s husband, Steve Sheen, previously recalled their early fears when she struggled to read a script — the moment that marked the beginning of a devastating journey. Even after the diagnosis, he admitted they were in “disbelief”, telling themselves it must have been long Covid or the flu.

Now, four years on, the family say the reality is much clearer — the decline is slow but undeniable. Steve said their focus is to “take every day and try to take the best moment out of that day you can,” reminding viewers how little families are told about dementia’s progression.

Pauline, who built a five-decade career across more than 60 TV and film projects and founded the Pauline Quirke Academy for young performers, stepped away from acting earlier this year. Her MBE in 2022 marked her extraordinary contribution to British entertainment and to generations of young talent.

Though her acting career has ended, her legacy lives on through PQA’s network of 250 academies and 15,000 students — and through the loyal friends and family who continue to surround her with love as her condition unfolds.