Linda Robson denies 'codswallop' rumours of feud with 'Birds of a Feather' co-star Pauline Quirke

Linda Robson has dismissed rumours of a feud between her and Birds of a Feather co-star Pauline Quirke as "a load of old codswallop".

Rumours of a bust-up circulated in the wake of Quirke's decision not to take part in the latest Christmas special of the long-running sitcom, broadcast in December 2020.

Robson told The Sun on Sunday that there was nothing untoward in Quirke's absence and that she was merely choosing to focus on other ventures.

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She said: "Take no notice of what you’ve heard about me and Pauline falling out. It’s a load of old codswallop.

“Pauline just chose not to do Birds of a Feather. She wants to concentrate on her acting academy, that’s that."

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Robson and Quirke had worked together for decades on the show, in which they play sisters who are brought together when their husbands are imprisoned for armed robbery.

The series originally ran from 1989 until 1998 on the BBC, then returned as an ITV show in 2014.

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Robson said the bond between her and Quirke remains strong, despite the latter's decision to move away from acting in order to focus her mind elsewhere.

She said: "We’ve known each other since we were ten. We’re friends. Will Pauline return to the show? I don’t know.

“I just know that the Christmas special went down really well. ITV were really, really pleased.”

Robson has done less acting work in recent years, since signing on as a regular contributor to the ITV daytime show Loose Women.

However, the 63-year-old star would love to go in front of the camera in a dramatic capacity — and has one particular telly phenomenon in her sights.

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"I’d like to do some more drama, too," she said. "I acted for years and years, but since Loose Women I’ve become more of a celebrity than an actress so there’s not been many offers.

"I’d love to do some. I’d like to do Line Of Duty. I’d probably be the tea lady."

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