Understanding early signs of dementia after Pauline Quirke’s diagnosis

Pauline Quirke, globally famous for her role in Birds of a Feather, has decided to retire from all professional and commercial duties due to her diagnosis of dementia in 2021, her husband has said. The diagnosis had not been made public at the time.

Quirke is prominent for playing the character Sharon Theodopolopodous on the long-running sitcom. Birds of a Feather ran from 1989 to 1998 and from 2014 to 2020. The series centred on sisters Tracey, played by Linda Robson, and Sharon.

The sisters are required to fend for themselves after their husbands are arrested for armed robbery. In 1997, Quirke received a nomination for Bafta for her role in The Sculptress. She also starred in Maisie Raine and Emmerdale.

The early signs of dementia include, memory loss, being confused about time and place, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, finding it hard to carry out daily tasks and struggling to pay attention in a discussion or finding the right term.