{"id":36484,"date":"2025-11-17T04:47:24","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T05:47:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=36484"},"modified":"2025-11-17T17:24:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T17:24:13","slug":"pauline-quirkes-family-on-her-dementia-shes-still-funny-and-recognises-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=36484","title":{"rendered":"Pauline Quirke&#8217;s family on her dementia: &#8216;She&#8217;s still funny and recognises us&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-component=\"byline-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<div data-testid=\"byline-new\" class=\"sc-7bfdb3c2-0 fYJjWP\">\n<div class=\"sc-7bfdb3c2-1 jqWinX\">12 hours ago<\/p>\n<p><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Share\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-2 sc-28fdc07f-5 sc-28fdc07f-6 fQbEOM dSGHyC kuBZLr\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-0 sjpOl\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-1 fpFxhF\">Share<\/span><\/button><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Save\" data-action=\"save\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-2 sc-28fdc07f-5 sc-28fdc07f-6 ejnpYO dWrhlh kycDtY\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-0 sjpOl\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-1 fpFxhF\">Save<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-testid=\"byline-new-contributors\" class=\"sc-7bfdb3c2-11 ljQVMv\"><\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"byline-new-contributors-contributor-0\" class=\"sc-7bfdb3c2-5 xGeVU\">\n<p><span class=\"sc-7bfdb3c2-7 djOqvY\">Helen Bushby<\/span><span data-testid=\"byline-new-contributors-contributor-0-role-location\" class=\"sc-7bfdb3c2-8 gvcwmG\">Culture reporter<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Share\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-2 sc-28fdc07f-5 sc-28fdc07f-6 fQbEOM dSGHyC kuBZLr\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-0 sjpOl\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-1 fpFxhF\">Share<\/span><\/button><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Save\" data-action=\"save\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-2 sc-28fdc07f-5 sc-28fdc07f-6 ejnpYO dWrhlh kycDtY\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-0 sjpOl\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-1 fpFxhF\">Save<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><b>&#8220;She&#8217;s still funny, she&#8217;s talking, she&#8217;s happy.&#8221;<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Birds of a Feather actress Pauline Quirke was diagnosed with dementia in 2021. Her family, who are unsure what stage she is at, have spoken of their &#8220;disbelief&#8221; at the time. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Despite being &#8220;very private&#8221;, they told BBC Breakfast they decided to speak out to raise awareness and funds for the condition. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;My mum has always been a charitable person. It&#8217;s what she would want me to do,&#8221; said her son, Charlie Quirke.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Best-known for playing Sharon Theodopolopodous in long-running sitcom Birds of a Feather, 66-year-old Quirke was also nominated for a Bafta in 1997 for playing a convicted murderer in BBC drama The Sculptress.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In 2022, she was made an MBE for services to the entertainment industry, young people, and charities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">But earlier this year her husband, Steve Sheen, who she married in 1996, had to announce her retirement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">This ended both her 50-year acting career, along with her role as head of Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts, which has about 250 academies, and more than 15,000 young students across the UK.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 gXrNRM\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-5340b511-1 cMIbKV\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/71591800-c164-11f0-9c9a-1124134b6598.jpg.webp\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Charlie and Steve Sheen in smart jumpers with microphones pinned to them for the interview\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve said they first got an inkling something might be wrong with Quirke in November 2020, after she received a script.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;She started reading it and she phoned me on that day and said, the words are not going in. That&#8217;s where it started,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Their reaction after the diagnosis was &#8220;disbelief, really&#8221;. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;We looked at each other and went, &#8216;Can&#8217;t be, it&#8217;s long Covid. Got the flu&#8217;.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Charlie added he was &#8220;quite surprised that this was possible in a woman in her 60s, and it can happen to people in their 50s, people in their 40s, so it&#8217;s something you have to deal with and learn about&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/information-and-support\/young-onset-dementia\/what-is-young-onset-dementia\/\" class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\">Dementia is described as &#8220;young onset&#8221;<\/a> when symptoms develop before the age of 65. It most often develops in people between the ages of 45 and 65 but can affect people of any age.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Asked what stage Quirke is at in her dementia journey, Steve said: &#8220;We don&#8217;t know. She&#8217;s still funny. She&#8217;s talking. She&#8217;s happy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;Is it four years, eight years, 10 years, 12 years, 20, who knows?&#8221; <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Charlie added: &#8220;And that&#8217;s the problem, no one tells you. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;My mum knows exactly who we are. Every time she sees all of us, she smiles, laughs, says &#8216;I love you&#8217;, says &#8216;hello&#8217;.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">They spoke about why they were sharing their experience, and what they had learned so far. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;Unfortunately we are not in the state where we can do much about it,&#8221; Steve said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;Just take every day and try and take the best moment out of that day you can.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;It&#8217;s a long journey. If we can just help a little bit by using Pauline as the catalyst to make more people aware, then we should, to use her to boost awareness and raise funds for dementia research.&#8221; <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 gXrNRM\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-5340b511-1 cMIbKV\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/grey-placeholder-1.png\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 gUePlo hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/499ba6b0-c174-11f0-9e77-171133adaa3b.jpg.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Pauline Quirke as Sharon Theodopolopodous, Lesley Joseph as Dorien Green and Linda Robson as Tracey Stubbs in series two of Birds of a Feather\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve said the impact of the condition hit them slowly. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;It&#8217;s so gradual that for the first year, two years, you&#8217;re thinking, ah, she&#8217;s alright. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;Now, we&#8217;re three or four years in, it&#8217;s a little bit different. This is why awareness is important. We didn&#8217;t know how long it lasts or how long you have with it, or how bad it is or how quick it is.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Charlie added that it &#8220;progresses and changes every day, but so do we &#8211; we change and progress, and so we&#8217;re forever learning&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nhs.uk\/conditions\/dementia\/about-dementia\/what-is-dementia\/\" class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\">NHS website<\/a> states dementia is a syndrome (a group of related symptoms) &#8220;associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning&#8221;. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 gXrNRM\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-5340b511-1 cMIbKV\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/grey-placeholder-1.png\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 gUePlo hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/67e9a650-b650-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.jpg.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Image of Pauline Quirk behind bars in The Sculptress\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Next month, Charlie is doing a fundraising walk for Alzheimer&#8217;s Research UK, going 140 kilometres to places that shaped his mother&#8217;s life, including homes she has lived in, theatres and TV studios she has worked at. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">It will also include the Buckinghamshire headquarters of her children&#8217;s drama academy. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;This is my mum&#8217;s legacy,&#8221; he said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;This is going to be one of the stops on my trek, because she wanted to nurture the next generation of young actors.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Steve paid tribute to his wife, saying: &#8220;What you see is what you get. Loving. Brilliant. She&#8217;s an iconic actress because her talent is immense.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Charlie added: &#8220;She is an incredible, strong, courageous woman that&#8217;s been through a lot and she keeps going. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;She&#8217;s a fighter and it&#8217;s incredible to see, yeah, very proud of her.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\"><i id=\"if-you-are-affected-by-any-of-the-issues-raised-in-this-story,-support-and-advice-is-available-via-the\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"if-you-are-affected-by-any-of-the-issues-raised-in-this-story,-support-and-advice-is-available-via-the\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support and advice is available via the <\/b><\/i><a target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/programmes\/articles\/1Y8B7y39T07GnTlMsLPJG2S\/information-and-support-dementia-alzheimer-s\" class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\"><i id=\"bbc-action-line\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\"bbc-action-line\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">BBC Action Line<\/b><\/i><\/a><i id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 iVdNuz\"><b id=\".\" class=\"sc-d16436d-0 gnUCoQ\">.<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>12 hours agoShareSaveHelen BushbyCulture reporterShareSave<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36302,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36484","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36484","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=36484"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36484\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36490,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36484\/revisions\/36490"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/36302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=36484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=36484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=36484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}