Pauline Quirke, best known for her role as Sharon Theodopolopodous in the hit ITV sitcom , has had a stellar career in telly over the past 50 years.
She rose to fame in 1989 through the popular drama, which attracted 15 million viewers weekly at its peak.
Now her life has taken a difficult turn as her husband, Steve Sheen, announced her due to a dementia diagnosis.
Off-camera Pauline found love with Steve, who she married in 1996.
The couple have raised two children together: Charlie, 30, who appeared as Travis in the Birds of a Feather revival, and Emily, 40, from Pauline’s previous relationship.
Read more…
Pauline Quirke is stepping away from the limelight (Image: Getty)
Pauline and Steve decided to embrace a unique lifestyle in their old age by living on a houseboat.
In 2007, Pauline and Steve co-founded the Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA) to help young people pursue careers in entertainment.
This venture was inspired by their son Charlie’s struggles to break into the film and TV industry. It now runs over 200 academies across the UK.
According to the PQA website: “Having both worked in the performing arts industry, they knew exactly how the arts could have a positive impact on the mental and emotional wellbeing of young people.”
Don’t miss…
Her husband Steve Sheen made the announcement this week (Image: Getty)
In the statement he made today, Steve praised Pauline the impact she had in her line of work, saying: “Pauline has been an inspiration through her work in the film and TV industry, her charity endeavours, and as the founder of the very successful Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA).
“Her talent, dedication, and vision have touched countless lives and will continue to do so through the legacy of her work and through PQA where her vision and guidance has facilitated many young peoples’ progression and interest in the Arts and enhanced their self-confidence.”
He added: “Her acting career has now come to a close, but Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA), with its network of approximately 250 academies and over 15,000 students across the UK, remains robust and will continue to operate as normal in accordance with Pauline’s ideology.
“Our experienced senior leadership team will maintain the Academies’ success and growth, building on the foundations, ethos and philosophy that Pauline has inspired from the beginning in 2007.”
Little else is known about Pauline’s marriage with Steve as they have kept their relationship out of the public eye, but he did star in Birds of a Feather alongside his wife in 1989.
He has also had roles in boxing documentary Female, Fifty and Fighting: Bam Bam, and comedy drama Arthur’s Dyke.