Lesley Joseph admits best friend Pauline Quirke is ‘not okay’ as she gives health update on dementia stricken co-star

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Lesley Joseph shared heartbreaking news about her close friend Pauline Quirke, who is living with dementia.

Pauline, age 65, received a diagnosis of the illness in 2021, but it wasn’t revealed to the public until her husband, Steve Sheen, shared the news in January.

Oh my gosh, you guys, it’s just awful! Lesley, her amazing co-star from Birds of a Feather, just told Bella Magazine that she’s really worried about her. She actually said she’s ‘not okay’! It was at the Variety Club Showbusiness Awards last week, and I’m just heartbroken hearing this. I’m so worried about her, and it’s just devastating to hear someone close to her confirm it.

She shared that Pauline hasn’t been doing well since her dementia diagnosis some time ago, and isn’t currently feeling okay. She plans to visit her next week, as she hasn’t had a chance to do so yet.

This follows Lesley’s confession that she feels deeply guilty for not having spent enough time with her grandchildren.

The actress, who has been performing for more than sixty years in theater and film, recently shared that she doesn’t quite fit the traditional image of a loving, spoiling grandmother.

Lesley generally prefers to keep her private life private. She has two children, Andrew and Elizabeth, from a previous relationship with Carl Littlejohn.

‘I feel tremendous guilt for not being the grandmother my kids probably expected,’ she said, as she discussed having grandchildren for the first time. 

‘I’ve never done the school run or babysitting. I just find it hard to say no to acting jobs.’ 

Earlier this year, Linda Robson, a co-star of Pauline’s, shared some touching news about her friend’s health. She said Pauline has been having good days lately and has even been asking how Linda is doing.

Linda recently shared on the Loose Women podcast, in partnership with Mecca Bingo, that she received a call from Pauline’s son, Charlie.

She told me that Charlie called and said she’s doing great right now. She has occasional low points, but is generally feeling very positive at the moment.

They were thrilled when she asked about Linda Robson. Hearing the story actually made me tear up a little.

I’ve been lucky enough to know her since we were kids – we’re talking ten years old! She’s not only an incredibly talented actress, but she’s also my absolute best friend. It’s one of those relationships that’s just stood the test of time.

We experienced incredible opportunities after Birds Of A Feather aired. Suddenly, we were getting invited to all sorts of events, even receiving VIP access to shows like Stringfellas. It was unbelievable!

In February, Maurice Gran, who co-wrote the sitcom Birds of a Feather, revealed that Pauline Quirke was having difficulty recognizing her own family. He explained that her condition had worsened since her diagnosis.

It’s so sad, as she’s still quite young at 65. At first, she worried about losing her mental sharpness. Now, we know she has trouble recognizing even her own family members.

This follows Linda’s recent discussion of when she first suspected her friend Pauline was troubled.

Linda explained to Bella Magazine that she hadn’t talked to this person in a while and was starting to wonder why her calls weren’t being returned.

Steve finally called me, and Lesley and I had lunch with her. That’s when we first noticed something was wrong, about three years ago.

Linda found the news hard, but respected the family’s privacy and kept the diagnosis confidential. 

She explained that she’d been aware of her friend’s illness for three years, but had kept it confidential. Maintaining this secrecy was crucial, as it was the friend’s family’s decision when and how to share the news with others.

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2025-10-29 00:03