Pauline Quirke during an interview
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Behind-the-scenes struggle that blighted Pauline Quirke for all 101 episodes of Birds of a Feather

Pauline starred in all episodes of Birds of a Feather

Birds of a Feather star Pauline Quirke once opened up about a debilitating issue she suffered behind the scenes while filming her hit show.

Pauline opened up about her struggle during an interview a few years back…

Pauline Quirke during an interview
Pauline is best known for Birds of a Feather (Credit: Channel 5)

Birds of a Feather star Pauline Quirke on debilitating nerves

During an interview with The Yorkshire Post back in 2012, Pauline opened up about how she never slept before filming episodes of Birds of a Feather.

“I went through 101 episodes of Birds Of A Feather not sleeping the night before filming them and vomiting before the actual taping. As Charlie [her son] is there as well, I don’t want him to see how nervous I get, hyperventilating or being sick. I’ve spent most of my professional life terrified,” she said.

“It doesn’t make any difference if it’s live or recorded. What gets me going is the audience,” she then continued.

Pauline Quirke on the red carpet
Pauline lost a lot of weight (Credit: SplashNews.com)

Birds of a Feather star Pauline Quirke on losing weight

Elsewhere in the same interview, Pauline spoke about how she lost eight stone in a year.

After having a hip replacement, breaking her arm, and suffering from aching knee joints, Pauline decided to lose weight.

The now 65-year-old actress used the controversial LighterLife diet to lose weight.

The LighterLife diet consisted of swapping out normal meals for low-calorie packs of powder mixed with water.

Pauline dropped from 20 stone to 14 in the space of a year.

“I don’t want to spend the rest of my life being frightened of what I want to eat. You can have a slice of cake, but not every day,” she said.

Linda Robson on This Morning
Linda spoke of her friendship with Pauline (Credit: ITV)

Linda Robson admits ‘jealousy’ in Pauline friendship

Earlier this year, Linda confessed that there was a bit of jealousy from her end with regard to her friendship with Pauline.

During an appearance on Loose Women, Linda confessed that Pauline’s continued acting success left her feeling a little jealous.

“This is going to sound really terrible because I had jealousy over my best friend Pauline. We’ve grown up with each other since we were 10 years of age and we’re best mates and I’ve never been jealous of partners or anything like that,” she explained.

“But after Birds finished, all of a sudden, Pauline started getting all of these big dramas. So she did The Sculptress, where she played a murderer, then she did Broadchurch,” she then continued.

“And I’m sitting there thinking oh it’s lovely and I’m really pleased for her, but what about me?!”

Read more: The truth behind the Birds of a Feather ‘feud’ rumours as Lesley Joseph addresses friendship with Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke

Birds of a Feather: 30 Years of Laughter airs from 5pm on Saturday, July 13 on Channel 5 and My5. 

From Essex to Edinburgh: Pauline Quirke inspires the next generation | 5 News

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Robert Emlyn Slater
Senior Writer