Loose Women star Linda Robson has marked 35 years since the first episode of Birds of a Feather aired as she quashed any rumours she'd fallen out with co-star Pauline Quirke
Linda Robson has firmly dismissed speculation about her enduring friendship with Pauline Quirke amid celebrations of the 35th anniversary of the iconic show Birds Of A Feather.
The Loose Women studio was abuzz as Linda marked over three decades since the beloved sitcom first graced television screens. During this special moment, she reminisced about how she and Pauline were discovered.
While chatting with her co-panelists on Wednesday's (October 16) episode, Linda shared memories of the duo frantically catching a bus across town, arriving at the studio just in the nick of time to deliver a stellar audition.
Following their impressive performance, a producer confidently told them, "we've got a huge success on our hands here," signalling to both that their lives were set to change for the better, reports the Mirror.
With warmth and clarity, Linda recounted the tale, simultaneously quashing any rumours of a rift between her and Pauline, saying: "Just two friends racing across town on the bus to make it and here we are all those years later, still the bestest of friends."
She mused: "I mean, who would have thought it? " Linda was met with effusive praise from her fellow presenters, Christine Lampard, Coleen Nolan, and Katie Piper, who all cherished the programme as a staple of their childhood television viewing.
Fans were left reeling amid whispers of a rift between the beloved stars, Linda and Pauline, who have been inseparable since their primary school days and even attended drama club together as teens. Their bond, stronger than that of typical mates, flourished publicly on the iconic 'Birds of a Feather' series during the 80s.
Speculation about tensions peaked when Pauline was notably absent from the show's 2020 Christmas special, an absence that deeply affected Linda and co-star Lesley Joseph.
On ITV's Loose Women, Linda opened up about her feelings, saying: "I'm not going to lie and say Lesley and I weren't disappointed. Of course we were. We were gutted and we couldn't imagine going on without her."
She continued, expressing both sorrow and understanding: "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."
When the gossip about their friendship started to intensify, Linda decided it was time to put the rumours to rest. She continued: "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. It's such bulls***. We tried to ignore it but it was difficult when it was all we were ever asked about."
In 2022 saw the trio put an end to the speculation in 2022 when they reunited for a get-together with Lesley in Central London. Linda disclosed on-air: "We had our photo taken together and I got my daughter Roberta to upload it to my Instagram, captioning it: "A lovely lunch with my beautiful friends. It was our way of saying, 'There you go, that'll shut you up!'"
