STARS ON BIRDS Pauline Was with us in spirit
FOR the first time since its initial screening in 1989, TV favourite Birds of a Feather will not star Pauline Quirke. But like Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, she will be in the festive special – at least in spirit.
Fans were disappointed Pauline decided to pass on the first Birds episode in three years as she has decided to retire to concentrate on her acting school.
But Lesley Joseph, 75, who has played Dorien opposite Pauline’s Sharon and Linda Robson’s Tracey for 30 years, promised fans tonight’s special “was still true to the Birds spirit”.
She added: “She was, of course, missed. But the way it’s written she’s referenced a lot so you don’t feel she wasn’t there physically. Wait and see, it does work very well.”
Joining Lesley and Linda, 63, will be Les Dennis, 67, and Ami Metcalf, who played a young Kathy Burke in 2012 series Walking and Talking – a semifictionalised look at Kathy’s life.
Birds of a Feather lasted on BBC One
Cast of hit sitcom talk about how they missed original star Quirke .. and how it was filmed during the Covid pandemic
until 1998. It was then revived, 16 years later, by ITV. But after 12 successful series, the producers put it on hiatus in 2017 until this year’s Christmas special, which was made during the Covid pandemic.
To make sure the cast and crew were safe, tested and in a bubble, the highly anticipated episode was filmed at a country house hotel in Hertfordshire. But they still had to wear masks and visors during rehearsals until Les was tested for Covid and cleared.
Lesley said: “We were waiting for his results to come through so we had to rehearse in a mask and a visor.
“I have to wear glasses to read my script so, of course, they were constantly fogged up.
“The whole thing was absolutely ridiculous but they insisted we did it like that until we got the all-clear, then we could take the masks and things off.
“All of the crew wore masks and visors and were tested. They were very, very careful with everyone because you are in quite close proximity.
“No one came closer than two metres if they could help it and it was fine. You sort of got used to it.
“Everything takes twice as long. Whenever you need to redo something, everyone has to leave the set and then they have to wipe things down.
“It’s all constantly in motion but it’s a strange, new world out there, really.”
However, she is glad filming took place as her panto role in Sleeping Beauty at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre, which should have started a three-week run on December 19, has been cancelled.
Like many actors, she is upset that theatres closed their doors in March and have remained largely unopened since then. She said: “People miss the
theatre. It think it gives them great relief.”
The same could be said for Birds and ITV showed repeats of the show during lockdown. She said: “I watched some of them, which I never do as I’m too self-critical.
“I must have only seen half of all the episodes we’ve ever made. I actually reallyeally enjoyed them, theyy were really good.
“I adoree making Birds of a Feather. One of myy happiest memories was the f irst Christmashristmas special we did back in 1989, whichhich was all aboutout a cruise.”
I t ’s a good link given the storyline reason for Pauline’s Sharon being absent is that she’s stuck on a Covid cruise.
Les believes the Christmas Eve special will be a tonic to those struggling with almost a year of the pandemic.
He said: “Right now, we want comfort telly. We want to switch off and be entertained – away from the news and everything that is going on.”
The last we saw of the sisters and Dorien, TraceTracey had sold their house.
“Dorien now owns the house after Tracey sold it to her.
“Viewers will remember that Tracey took the rap over the dodgy cigarettes for the boys and ended up in jail.
“While Tracey was inside, she was befriended by a young streetwise girl called Jordan [played by guest star Ami].
“Tracey eventually asks Jordan to move in with her and Dor.
“With Dorien now the owner of the house, the dynamics have shifted and it’s hilarious. It’s very ‘war of the roses’ between bet the pair of them.”
As A well as owning the house, Dorien has met a Harley Street dentist called Graeme Gra online. He is played by Les.
Lesley L added: “She decides to invite him for dinner at the house, much to Tracey’s Tra dismay because he’s not part of ttheir bubble.
“I’ve known Les for years and he fitted fitt in really well. Graeme is a great gre character and Les is a wonderful wo actor.
“Les and I have a scene together playing Jenga and it’s absolutely hilarious, viewers will love it.”
Les is a worthy replacement for Pauline. A TV stalwart, he won New Faces in 1974 and worked with Russ Abbot in the 80s before teaming up with Dustin Gee and getting their own series, The Laughter Show.
After Dustin’s sudden death in 1986, Les carried on with the show, then presented Family Fortunes until 2002 while also acting in musicals.
He appeared in Ricky Gervais’ Extras as a fictional version of himself and as Michael Rodwell in Coronation Street for two years.
Les, who appeared on Christmas specials with Abbot, said: “When Russ was doing TV, we always had a Christmas show.
“It’s nice to be part of that Christmas schedule again.”
He is thrilled to be starring on another well-loved show and added: “I’ve always been a fan of Birds of a Feather. I’ve always loved [Laurence] Marks’ and [Maurice] Gran’s writing. I was a big fan of Shine On Harvey
Moon and The New Statesman, which they wrote.
“Birds is the longest-running and the characters are great.”
He’s an old friend of Lesley’s and knew Linda from appearing on Loose Women.
He said: “She’s a lovely woman. It was lovely to spend time with her. And Ami Metcalf – the new addition to the show – is very good as well.”
Ami, 26, who starred as Eunice McCabe in Upstairs Downstairs, said: “I was a little bit nervous beforehand as everyone has known each other for years but they were all so kind and welcoming.
“It was great working with Linda, Lesley and Les. They are all just amazing and so entertaining to watch.
“I’d watch the scenes I wasn’t in and they are so funny – just hilarious.”
The Birds of a Feather Christmas Special airs tonight on STV at 9.15pm.