Birds of a Feather, a TV staple for more than 30 years, with one of the most memorable theme tunes, first graced our screens on the BBC in 1989. The show starred Loose Women's Linda Robson as Tracey Stubbs and TV icon Pauline Quirke as Sharon Theodopolopodous, two neighbours whose lives intertwine when their husbands were sent to jail.
Viewers fell in love with the Cockney pair, who were joined by the flirtatious neighbour Dorien Green, played by Lesley Joseph. Other notable appearances came from Alun Lewis, who played the role of Tracey's husband, Darryl, and Peter Polycarpou, who starred as Pauline's husband, Chris, for five series. Busted star Matt Willis also joined the cast as Tracey's son, Gareth Stubbs, during the show's return in 2014. As one of the most popular sitcoms in British TV, Busted ran for an impressive 12 series spanning over 30 years, but where are the stars today? We've taken a look back at what they've been up to since.
Loose Women panellist Linda has had a long-standing career in TV and film, most notably as Tracey in Birds of a Feather. The 65-year-old actress reprised her role for the show's revival and has appeared on other TV shows such as The Likely Lads, The Tomorrow People, Going Out, L For Lester, and The Bill, reports the Express.
In 2017, Linda confessed that she had nearly broken down due to being buried under thousands of pounds of debt. She admitted to spending nights lying in bed worrying about her financial situation and avoiding bank letters. The actress previously revealed, "I ran up a lot of debts when Birds of a Feather had ended, but I was used to having a good income and buying things."
Before becoming a household name as Sharon in 1989 on Birds of a Feather, Pauline had already made her mark with roles in The Tomorrow People, Play For Today, The Story Of The Treasure Seekers, and Angels. More recently, she's graced our screens in hits like Broadchurch and You, Me And The Apocalypse.
However, she was noticeably absent from the Birds of a Feather Christmas special in 2020, fuelling speculation of a rift with her long-time friend and co-star Linda. Fans were left wondering if their five-decade friendship had hit the rocks after a supposed spat, which Linda, a Loose Women regular, firmly denied. Even though Pauline didn't show up, her lines in the theme tune were cut, along with photos of Tracey and Sharon together.
Rumours swirled that Linda and Pauline had grown apart, but last year, Linda set the record straight. Speaking to The Mirror, she said: "People say Pauline and I have fallen out. Obviously, I couldn't see her during lockdown, but I've seen her since. She just doesn't want to act anymore. She's had enough—it's long hours. She's concentrating on her drama academies. She's very hands-on, going to classes and all that.
"I see Lesley [Joseph] all the time because we won Celebrity Coach Trip last year. And during the lockdowns, I would leave funny things on her doorstep, like Tena Lady and hair dye! But when I was ill, both Pauline and Lesley rang me, or a member of my family, every couple of days to see how I was. They were both a big support and really there for me."
This week, we were saddened to hear the news that Pauline had made the decision to step back from all work following her dementia diagnosis four years ago. Her husband, Steve Sheen, said in the statement: "It is with a heavy heart that I announce my wife Pauline's decision to step back from all professional and commercial duties due to her diagnosis of Dementia in 2021."
Lesley Joseph
More than two decades after her first TV appearance, Lesley Joseph is best known for her role as Dorien Green in Birds of a Feather. She has had a successful career, featuring in shows such as Minder, Ruth Rendall Mysteries, Night And Day and The Secret Of Eel Island. Despite being private about her personal life, Lesley opened up about the heartbreaking loss of her mother. "Losing a mother when you are very young, that is incredibly difficult because they don't grow old with you," she confessed to the Mirror in 2016.
"But if you lose them when they are older, you've had them all your life. I had a very close relationship with my mother. She was one of 12, and she was the last of them to die. I talk to her every day, in my head." She added, "I don't think you ever lose that – she had a thirst for life Hopefully, touch wood, I've got her genes."
Matt Willis
Busted star Matt Willis joined the cast of Birds of a Feather in 2014 to play Linda's on-screen son, Gareth Stubbs, during the show's revival. While he only had a brief stint on the show, many fans still remember it to this day, with Matt himself sharing his delight at securing the role. He previously said: "I'm so excited to be joining Birds of a Feather playing the role of Garthy! I used to watch the show growing up so this is just a dream job. I can't believe I'll be working with Sharon, Tracey and Dorien."
Before joining the sitcom, Matt had already risen to fame during the 2000s in Busted alongside bandmates Charlie Simpson and James Bourne. The pop-punk band has been off and on throughout its career, first splitting in 2005, during which Matt released his first solo album. The band returned in 2015 with a tour and a new album before shortly parting ways, then returning again as they joined forces with McFlay to form McBusted.
