Their hilarious portrayal of the joys and frustrations of life with family and neighbours made Birds of a Feather a huge hit.
But now it has been reported that Pauline Quirke’s, 61, friendship with her co-stars ended after an ‘astonishing’ face-off with Lesley Joseph, 75, outside TV studio toilets, which reportedly left Linda Robson, 62, believing the pair ‘will never speak again’.
According to the report, the women were ‘basically pulled apart’ by Teddington Studios’ crew members who were left ‘stunned’ over the alleged incident.
What!? It has been reported that Pauline Quirke’s, 61, friendship with her Birds of a Feather co-stars ended after an ‘astonishing’ face-off with Lesley Joseph, 75, outside TV studio toilets
A source told The Sun: ‘The nadir came during one astonishing row at Teddington Studios, culminating in Pauline and Lesley squaring off, noses centimetres apart, outside the women’s loos.
‘They were basically pulled apart by stunned crew members.
The insider explained how the friendship crumbled from that point, and claimed: ‘Linda doesn’t believe they’ll ever speak again.’
MailOnline has contacted Pauline Quirke and Lesley Joseph’s representatives for comment.
Face-off? According to the report, the women were ‘basically pulled apart’ by Teddington Studios’ crew members who were left ‘stunned’ over the alleged incident (Pictured in 2012 on stage in Birds of a Feather play at The New Victoria Theatre in Woking)
Pauline and Linda played sisters in the hit comedy, and as real-life childhood best friends appeared to be a perfect fit for the roles.
But the frequent on-screen bickering between their characters Sharon Theodopolopodous and Tracey Stubbs appears to have exploded into the actors’ real lives, prompting fears for the future of the long-running programme.
This weekend, The Mail on Sunday revealed that a seemingly irreparable rift has developed between Pauline and Linda, whose friendship of 50 years once helped cement their reputation as among the UK’s most popular double acts.
The end? The insider explained how the friendship crumbled from that point, and claimed: ‘Linda doesn’t believe they’ll ever speak again’ (Pictured in 2014)
Insiders said there have been ‘real and tense issues’ which resulted in Pauline refusing to take part in the 30th anniversary show, which aired in 2019.
At the same time, Linda grew closer to co-star Lesley, who plays man-eating neighbour Dorien Green, and the pair decided not to ask Pauline to take part in 2020’s Christmas special.
The fall-out seemingly marks an end to Pauline’s much-loved character of Sharon, whose recent absences have been explained by the character heading off on a cruise.
One friend said: ‘Both Linda and Lesley were saddened that Pauline didn’t want to return to make a 30th anniversary episode. Linda and Pauline used to be very close, less so Pauline and Lesley.
‘I think Pauline resented the attention that Lesley got and it was very tense and difficult to navigate at times.
‘Pauline wasn’t approached about the Christmas special. The atmosphere on the set had previously become difficult, there were real and tense issues.’
The trio shot to fame in 1989 when Birds Of A Feather began on BBC1. Following the lives of two sisters who move in together after their husbands are jailed for armed robbery, it ran for nine years.
Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke, 1993
It was later revived in 2014 on ITV by its original writers and creators Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran.
The Christmas special pulled in an impressive 7.9 million viewers, and it is understood that Linda and Lesley are keen to continue with the Essex-set show. But sources say ITV are not convinced they want to make another series.
Claims of Pauline’s allegedly ‘demanding’ and ‘difficult’ behaviour on set were blamed as factors for the original fall out, and in a bid to secure the future of the show, a new character called Jordan – dubbed a ‘mini-me’ of Sharon – was introduced.
The friend added: ‘It appears that Sharon has been replaced by another character so that the show can go on. It is all very sad. Pauline and Linda have been friends for more than half a century and, of course, Lesley has known the women for at least 30 of those years.’
To complicate matters, Pauline’s son Charlie also stars on the show as Travis Stubbs, Tracey’s youngest son. He appeared in the Christmas special and at the time ITV tried to explain her absence.
A spokesperson said: ‘Unfortunately, Pauline Quirke will not be taking part as she’s stepping back from acting to focus on her 200 nationwide performing arts academies.’
In the show, only a photograph of Sharon was seen and the storyline was written to say that she was on a cruise, during which she had met a Costa Rican hunk and married him.
Irreparable: Over the weekend, The Mail on Sunday revealed that a seemingly irreparable rift has developed between Pauline and Linda
Last year, Linda described her long friendship with Pauline, saying: ‘We were friends from ten years of age. We went to the same primary school and we started taking acting classes together.
‘We were known as the real kids, or the cockney kids off the street. We’ve both been really good friends, and we’re still working 52 years later.’
Linda and Lesley revealed in an interview with bingo company Mecca that they had met up during the pandemic when restrictions allowed, but there was no mention of Pauline.
The two women declined to comment at the time. Pauline Quirke’s spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.