A quiet sentence. A devastating truth.
“Pauline is not OK now.”
Those were the heartbreaking words spoken by Lesley Joseph as she finally broke her silence on the health of her lifelong friend and Birds of a Feather co-star, Pauline Quirke, amid her private and painful battle with dementia.
For months, fans have worried in silence. Now, the reality is even more devastating than many feared.
“She’s Not OK Right Now…”
“She’s Not OK Right Now…”Speaking candidly to Bella Magazine, the 80-year-old actress revealed:
“Pauline has not been too well since being diagnosed with dementia some time ago.
She’s not OK now. I haven’t had time yet, but I’m going to go and see her next week.”
Just a few words — yet they carry the weight of a lifetime of friendship, shared laughter, and unimaginable sorrow.
From TV Icon to Private Battle
From TV Icon to Private BattlePauline, now 66, was confirmed to be living with dementia earlier this year. Since then, her family has quietly stepped in to focus entirely on her care, as she withdrew from public life and her glittering 50-year career.
To the world, Pauline was Sharon Theodopolopodous — bold, hilarious, unforgettable.
To Lesley and Linda Robson, she has always been more than a co-star. She is family.
Yet even Lesley admits she struggled to speak about Pauline’s illness for months.
Earlier this year on Good Morning Britain, she said softly:
“What a wonderful actress she is.
The joy she has given — not just in Birds of a Feather, but in The Sculptress, Broadchurch, Emmerdale…
I take my hat off to Pauline. She’s amazing.
But I won’t talk about her illness. That’s private.”
Until now.
“I’ve Lived Through Dementia With My Own Mum”
“I’ve Lived Through Dementia With My Own Mum”This battle is not unfamiliar to Lesley. She watched her own mother live with dementia until nearly 104 years old.
“Even in her nineties, she was still playing tennis, still full of life.
But dementia… it takes something from you every single day.”
Her words now echo painfully as Pauline faces the same cruel disease.
Linda Robson’s Devastating Truth
Linda Robson’s Devastating TruthEarlier this year, Pauline’s closest friend Linda Robson also shared a brutally honest update that left fans shaken:
“She doesn’t know who anybody is anymore.
She doesn’t know who I am… or who her kids are.
Dementia is the worst thing. I’d rather get cancer — because at least you’ve got a chance.”
Linda revealed she had known about the diagnosis for three years, keeping it secret at Pauline’s family’s request.
The silence was an act of love — but the pain never stopped.
A Career Paused, A Legacy Unbreakable
A Career Paused, A Legacy UnbreakableIn January, Pauline’s husband Steve Sheen confirmed she had stepped back from all professional and public duties, ending one of Britain’s most beloved television careers.
Yet her impact remains everywhere — in reruns, in laughter, in the hearts of generations who grew up watching her.
A Friendship Tested by Time, Illness, and Love
For Lesley, Linda, and millions of fans, Pauline’s battle is more than a celebrity health update.
It is a brutal reminder of how quickly everything can change — and how love often remains long after memory fades.
“She’s not OK now.”
Sometimes, the simplest words are the most devastating of all.