Pauline Quirke has been diagnosed with dementia, her husband Steve Sheen has announced. The Birds of a Feather star, 65, is best known for playing Sharon Theodopolopodous in the much-loved sitcom alongside Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph from 1988 to 1999.

The Birds of a Feather star retires from acting and reveals she was diagnosed with dementia in 2021.

Birds of a Feather star Pauline Quirke has been diagnosed with dementia, but it's not the first health battle the actress has faced.

A household name in the 1990s and 2000s, Pauline Quirke played one half of mismatched sister act Sharon and Tracey in the hit sitcom Birds Of A Feather for over 15 years.

The most common types include Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia and mixed dementia, according to Dementia UK. Lead-charity Alzheimer's society have shared the early symptoms to look out for to receive a diagnosis as soon as possible.

Quirke's husband announced the Birds A Feather star would retire from “all professional and commercial duties” after being diagnosed with the disease in 2021. | ITV National News

British sitcom star Pauline Quirke will step back from professional duties after being diagnosed with dementia. Her husband, Steve Sheen, released a statement saying the Birds of a Feather actress had been diagnosed with the condition in 2021.

He said in a 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. "Pauline has been an inspiration through her work in the film and TV industry,