Lesley Joseph has revealed that her longtime friend and Birds of a Feather co-star Pauline Quirke is struggling with her dementia diagnosis.
The actress claimed her pal and former colleague is “not okay now” while speaking during an appearance at the Variety Club Showbusiness Awards.
The 80-year-old actress spoke candidly about Ms Quirke’s deteriorating health.
“Pauline is not too well after being diagnosed with dementia a while ago. She’s not okay now. I haven’t had time, but I’m going to go up and see her next week,” Ms Joseph said to Bella.
Paulien Quirke (second from left) and Lesley Joseph (right) have been friends for decades
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The emotional update marks the first time Ms Joseph has publicly discussed her 65-year-old co-star’s condition since Ms Quirke’s dementia diagnosis became public knowledge earlier this year.
The two actresses have shared a professional and personal bond spanning decades, having portrayed sisters Sharon and Dorien in the beloved sitcom Birds of a Feather from 1989 to 1998.
Their on-screen chemistry earned Ms Quirke a British Comedy Award in 1990.
Ms Quirke’s dementia diagnosis, which dates back to 2021, remained private for three years before her husband Steve Sheen made the announcement in January 2025.
Pauline Quirke was diagnosed with dementia in 2021
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The decision to go public followed a period during which close friends and colleagues had begun noticing changes in the actress’s condition.
Ms Joseph’s upcoming visit represents her first face-to-face meeting with Ms Quirke in some time, despite their enduring friendship that began in childhood.
Ms Quirke’s husband, Mr Sheen, confirmed in January that the actress had been living with dementia since her 2021 diagnosis, announcing her decision to withdraw from all professional and commercial commitments.
“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,” Mr Sheen stated.
Pauline Quirke and Lesley Joseph starred in Birds of a Feather alongside Linda Robson (right)
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He praised his wife as “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).”
The retirement announcement ended Ms Quirke’s five-decade career in television and film, during which she became a household name across Britain.
Shortly before her retirement, Ms Quirke received an MBE recognising her contributions to entertainment, youth services, and charitable causes.
Her lasting impact extends through the Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts, which has grown to encompass 250 academies supporting more than 15,000 students throughout Britain.
Pauline Quirke’s husband Steve Sheen shared the news of her diagnosis earlier this year
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The academy acknowledged on Instagram: “It has been wonderful to see how many lives Pauline has touched through her work with PQA and in her 50-year career in film and television.”
Following the retirement announcement, Mr Sheen pledged the family’s future support to Alzheimer’s Research UK.
The charity’s chief executive, Hilary Evans-Newton, praised the family’s courage in making the diagnosis public, noting it would “raise such vital awareness of the condition.”
