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no ruffled feathers

Birds Of A Feather’s Pauline Quirke spotted for the first time since show axe and Linda Robson feud revealed

BIRDS Of A Feather star Pauline Quirke flashed a smile as she enjoyed a summer stroll despite the iconic ITV sitcom being axed.

The actress, 61, beamed as she stepped out in black leggings and a matching cardigan, adding a pop of colour with a pink pashmina.

Pauline Quirke flashed a smile as she enjoyed a summer stroll despite Birds Of A Feather being axed
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Pauline Quirke flashed a smile as she enjoyed a summer stroll despite Birds Of A Feather being axedCredit: Splash

, who played Sharon Theodopolopodous in the long-running comedy, looked content as she left her home and strolled down a tree lined path less than a month after The Sun reported her fall-out with Linda Robson caused the show to be scrapped.

Linda and co-star Lesley Joseph had hoped the much-loved sitcom would be renewed after a Christmas special picked up an impressive 7.9million viewers, despite Pauline's absence.

But according to , station bosses don't see a future without Linda and Pauline starring together as beloved sisters Sharon and Tracey, in the show which ran from 1989 to 1998 and returned in 2014.

A source told the publication: "Without Pauline, the view is that there is no Birds Of A Feather. You cannot have Tracey without Sharon, and there is no way Pauline will be going back. Things are bad between her and Linda.

The actress added a pop of colour to her all-black outfit with a pink pashmina
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The actress added a pop of colour to her all-black outfit with a pink pashminaCredit: Splash
Pauline, right, played Sharon Theodopolopodous in the long-running comedy
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Pauline, right, played Sharon Theodopolopodous in the long-running comedyCredit: Alamy

"Linda and Lesley gave it a go but, despite the figures being good, ITV won’t be recommissioning it."

It is claimed Linda and Lesley, who played Dorien Green, touted the idea of continuing with a younger replacement for Pauline.

Last month, Linda broke her silence on the reported feud with Pauline – saying: “It’s a load of old codswallop.”

In her first interview since it was suggested Pauline had fallen out with the BBC1 show’s stars, Loose Women panelist Linda said they are still friends.

Pauline is at the heart of spat rumours with co-star Linda Robson
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Pauline is at the heart of spat rumours with co-star Linda RobsonCredit: Splash
Linda, centre, and Pauline starred together as beloved sisters Sharon and Tracey
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Linda, centre, and Pauline starred together as beloved sisters Sharon and TraceyCredit: INSTAGRAM/LESLEY JOSEPH
The pair have been pals since childhood yet rumours have suggested this is no longer the case - something Linda has strongly denied
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The pair have been pals since childhood yet rumours have suggested this is no longer the case - something Linda has strongly deniedCredit: Rex

There had also been an alleged face-off with Lesley Joseph outside TV studio toilets.

Linda, 63, who has played Tracey Stubbs since 1989, also insists the only reason Pauline, 61, missed last year’s Christmas special of the show was because she wanted to step away from the limelight.

 and Linda were childhood best friends.

The Londoners met at Islington’s Anna Scher Theatre School in the late Sixties and first appeared on TV together in Pauline’s Quirkes in the mid-Seventies.

The comedy dominated ITV in the Nineties
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The comedy dominated ITV in the NinetiesCredit: Alamy
Linda has branded rumours of a spat with Pauline as 'codswallop'
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Linda has branded rumours of a spat with Pauline as 'codswallop'Credit: Freemantle Media UK

But it was Birds Of A Feather, which once attracted 15million viewers a week, for which the pair became most well known.

Yet in February there were claims that their relationship had broken down after an alleged bust-up on set at the Teddington studios.

The row was said to be why Pauline refused to take part in the 30th anniversary show in 2019 and the Christmas special a year later, yet Linda refutes this.

Yet Linda did admit her mum had turned against Pauline after seeing her play a baddie in ITV soap, Emmerdale.

Linda Robson breaks silence on Pauline Quirke feud saying it was ‘her choice’ not to be in Birds Of A Feather special
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