Linda Robson has addressed rumours of a feud between herself and former Birds of a Feather co-star Pauline Quirke.
The duo have been friends for 50 years, with the pair having worked on the hit BBC sitcom after becoming friends in primary school.
Robson and Quirke starred alongside Lesley Joseph as the leading ladies of the classic show, which debuted back in 1989.
Robson, who is now best known for sharing her views on the Loose Women panel, reportedly drifted apart from Quirke after the latter decided not to be involved in a Christmas Special in 2020.
After two decades off screens, ITV commissioned a festive episode following 2014’s series, which aired 15 years after the previous stint.
However, Quirke decided to walk away from the show, leaving her close friend and co-star “disappointed,” however Robson, 65, has shut down speculation that the two have been embroiled in a “feud”.
Pauline Quirke decided not to appear in the 2020 Birds of a Feather Christmas special
ITV
“I’m not going to lie and say Lesley and I weren’t disappointed. Of course we were,” she admitted whilst reflecting on Quirke’s decision to leave the series.
She continued: “We were gutted and we couldn’t imagine going on without her. We were a trio – how could it possibly work without any one of us?
“But at the same time as all that sadness, there was acceptance and understanding, too.”
Speaking to Mail+, Robson went on: “Sure enough, the headlines were predictable, saying there was a ‘feud’ and ‘bad blood’ and that she’d quit because we were no longer speaking.
Robson talked about her friendship with Quirke
Getty
“It’s such bulls***. We tried to ignore it but it was difficult when it was all we were ever asked about.”
Birds of a Feather was a fan favourite, bringing in tens of millions of viewers during its initial nine-year run.
When ITV aired series 10 of the show in 2014, the debut episode on the broadcaster saw more than eight million tune in.
Two additional series were also broadcast along with a pair of Christmas specials.
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Birds of a Feather was a huge hit in the 80s and 90s before ITV recommissioned it decades later
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While the 2020 Christmas episode was given the green light, Quirke decided at this point to step back from acting so didn’t appear in the instalment, which had a storyline based around the Covid-19 pandemic the country was gripped by at that point.
The following year, ITV announced there weren’t any plans for more episodes, but Robson got fans talking again in 2022 when she announced a reunion special had been discussed with Quirke.
While no such reunion has yet taken place, Channel 5 aired a programme in 2023 dedicated to the beloved comedy series.
Birds of a Feather – 30 Years of Laughter, saw cast, crew and fans discussing their love for the programme.