Pauline Quirke's son claims actress is 'still the funniest woman' as he gears up for London Marathon in her honour

Lauren Williams
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:10:53 +0000

Charlie Quirke has delivered a moving update on his mother Pauline's health during an appearance on Good Morning Britain while speaking with presenters Kate Garraway and Ranvir Singh.

The Birds of a Feather star received her dementia diagnosis in 2021 and made the news public last year, subsequently stepping back from all professional commitments.

When asked whether the condition had affected his mother's sense of humour, Mr Quirke was emphatic in his response.

"Still my best friend! No, not at all, she's still the funniest woman in the world," he told the presenters. "With her acting ability, she can do so much with a look or a wink."

He described the family's approach to managing the illness as taking "every day as it comes," adding that "every day is a good day for us".

Mr Quirke reflected warmly on the experience of appearing alongside his mother in the beloved sitcom, revealing they had first performed together on stage before transitioning to television.

"It was a dream come true to be able to work with my mum, we did it on stage first," he explained. "So, to be able to share a stage with my mum and then be on TV for three seasons, it was a dream come true being on set with my best friend and an amazing actress at the same time."

The ITV programme showed a compilation of Ms Quirke's extensive body of work, including scenes featuring mother and son together in Birds of a Feather.

Ms Garraway remarked that viewers "relish" the sitcom, acknowledging what a special opportunity it must have been for Mr Quirke to work with his mother.

He announced he will tackle the London Marathon this weekend to raise funds for Alzheimer's Research UK, with his mother cheering him on from home.

The family traditionally watches the race together each year, making this occasion particularly meaningful as their son joins the runners.

He revealed a touching detail about what he will carry during the 26.2-mile course.

"I'm carrying a photo of me and my mum together. I only found it yesterday. It's from the day I was born; my dad gave it to me," Mr Quirke said. "I'm going to have that in my vest, and I'm going to take it out when I finish the finish line."

He emphasised that he is completing the marathon in honour of his mother and everyone else living with dementia.

When asked whether Ms Quirke understood the lasting impact her work had brought to audiences over the decades, he spoke of her remarkable modesty.

"My mum has always been the most humble woman in the world, so I think it was purely a job to her," he reflected.

"She'd be thinking about what she was going to cook us for dinner or what had to go on the washing machine or our uniforms the next day!"

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Despite her unassuming nature, Mr Quirke acknowledged the extraordinary scope of her career and its influence on viewers.

"We all can look back at the amount of decades she's been working.

"It's quite the breadth of work that she's done and changed people's lives, and she's an incredible woman," he said.