Pauline Quirke diagnosed with dementia and steps away from acting after 50-year career
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Birds of a Feather star Pauline Quirke has been diagnosed with dementia, her husband Steve Sheen has today announced. The 65-year-old actress, who played Sharon Theodopolopodous in the original series of the sitcom and its revival between 2014 and 2017, is set to "step away from all commercial and professional duties" to spend time with her family.
Pauline, who has also been in Emmerdale, Broadchurch and The Sculptress, won the Best TV Comedy Newcomer at the British Comedy Awards in 1990 for her role in Birds of a Feather, originally on BBC One. She, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph all reprised their roles when the sitcom returned - this time to ITV - in 2014.
But now Pauline will take a break from acting across TV, film and stage. Steve said in the statement: "'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.".
TV producer Steve, who married Pauline in 1996, also praised his partner's versatility in his poignant statement, noting she had played comedic characters, loyal heroes and powerful matriarchs over the decades. The statement, as seen by Mail Online, added: "Pauline has been an inspiration through her work in the film and TV industry, her charity endeavours and as the founder of the very successful Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA). Her talent, dedication, and vision have touched countless lives and will continue to do so through the legacy of her work and through PQA where her vision and guidance has facilitated many young peoples' progression and interest in the Arts and enhanced their self-confidence. Pauline is perhaps best known as Sharon Theodopolopodous from Birds of a Feather, the hilarious sitcom that ran for nearly 30 years.
