Actress Pauline Quirk announced that she would be retiring at the age of 65-years-old due to a recent dementia diagnosis. Steve Sheen, who married Pauline in 1996, recently shared that Pauline was first diagnosed with the condition in 2021 but kept it private until now.
In a statement on Tuesday (21st January), Steve shared: "It is with a heavy heart that I announce my wife Pauline’s decision to step back from all professional and commercial duties due to her diagnosis of dementia in 2021. "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." He continued: "In drama, her BAFTA-nominated role in The Sculptress, was outstanding, as was her role as the mysterious Susan Wright in ITV's Broadchurch.
Demonstrating her acting versatility, she also starred or appeared in more than 60 TV and film productions, including Carrie's War, North and South, Casualty, Cold Blood, Thieving Headmistress, My Family, You, Me and the Apocalypse, and of course Emmerdale." Pauline was best known for her role as the feisty Sharon Theodopolopodous on long-running sitcom Birds Of A Feather.
Fran Vandelli, dementia lead for Bupa Care Services Richmond Villages described dementia as: "An umbrella term that describes a set of symptoms affecting your brain, causing problems with memory, thinking, and communication, leading to the loss of the skills required for everyday living. " She said there are more than 200 subtypes of dementia existing.