Pauline Perpetua Sheen (; born 8 July 1959) is a retired English actress. She began her career with roles on various television series, before fronting her own comedy sketch show, Pauline's Quirkes, in 1976. She later starred as Vicky Smith on the BBC drama series Angels (1982–1983), and achieved fame with her portrayal of Sharon Theodopolopodous on the long-running sitcom Birds of a Feather (1989–1998, 2014–2017), for which she won a British Comedy Award and was nominated on three occasions for a National Television Award. In 1997, she was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress for her role in the BBC miniseries The Sculptress. Between 2010 and 2012, Quirke played Hazel Rhodes on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale.
Quirke's film appearances include The Elephant Man (1980), Little Dorrit (1987), and Getting It Right (1989). Other television credits include Shine on Harvey Moon (1984–1985, 1995), Maisie Raine (1998–1999), David Copperfield (1999), Down to Earth (2000–2003), Cold Blood (2007–2008), Missing (2009–2010), Skins (2010), Broadchurch (2013–2015), and You, Me and the Apocalypse (2015).
Life and career Early work Quirke began her career as a child actress with an appearance in Dixon of Dock Green. Another early role was that of an autistic teenager in the 1975 TV drama Jenny Can't Work Any Faster.
By 1976, she had her own TV show, Pauline's Quirkes, on Thames Television, which featured pop music, teenage topics, and comedy sketches. This was also the first television show in which Quirke and Linda Robson appeared together regularly. In 1976, she played the lead role in the "Special Offer" episode of ATV's Beasts, by Nigel Kneale, also starring Wensley Pithey and Martin Shaw. Quirke also had a small role in the movie The Elephant Man in 1980. Quirke played Veronica in Shine on Harvey Moon in 1982.
Quirke's big break came in 1989, when she began playing the part of Sharon Theodopolopodous in the BBC sitcom Birds of a Feather with Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph. The series ran on the BBC from 1989 to 1998 and was resurrected on ITV between 2014 and 2017, with the final episode in December 2020 in which Quirke did not appear.
Later work From 1994 to 1999, Quirke appeared in a series of Surf adverts with Linda Robson, and the pair worked together on the BBC documentary series Jobs for the Girls. In 1996, she starred in the BBC television adaptation of The Sculptress by Minette Walters, receiving much critical acclaim for her performance, including a British Academy TV Award nomination for Best Actress. When Birds of a Feather ended, Quirke began playing DI Maisie Raine in Maisie Raine, a drama series for BBC One, which ran in 1998 and 1999.
From 2000 to 2003, Quirke starred opposite Warren Clarke in the BBC series Down to Earth. She made a return to comedy in 2000 when she starred with Neil Stuke, Robert Daws and Pippa Haywood in BBC sitcom Office Gossip. After a start with over six million viewers, the show found its ratings dropped and it was cancelled after only one series. However, Quirke was nominated for Most Popular Comedy Performer at the National Television Awards for her role. In 2002, she starred alongside Nitin Ganatra in Being April, a comedy drama for BBC One. Quirke appeared in Carrie's War in 2004 and in 2005, played a major role in The Bill as Cath Wilson, a woman wrongly convicted of murdering a child.
In 2006, Quirke played Colleen McCabe in The Thieving Headmistress and in 2008, she appeared in an episode of My Family as Sharon the Bank Robber. Quirke has frequently been seen in the audience of Strictly Come Dancing and has appeared on its companion show It Takes Two more than once. She was a contestant on BBC's Celebrity MasterChef in June 2007, but was disqualified for creating a dish that was described by Loyd Grossman as "in no way resembling a meal".
In 2007, Quirke set up The Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts, which opened at various locations across the UK as an extracurricular centre for young people who want to learn performing arts. The academy operates at over 200 locations in the United Kingdom.
In 2009 and 2010, she played the lead role in the BBC daytime drama series Missing as DS Mary Jane "MJ" Croft, head of a Missing Persons Unit. In May 2010, it was announced that Quirke would be joining the rural soap opera Emmerdale as Hazel Rhodes, the mother of established character, Jackson Walsh. Quirke said, "I've never done anything like this before so it's something different for me and I'm very happy to be a part of it." On 16 May 2011, it was announced that Quirke had decided to quit Emmerdale. Her character left on 25 January 2012.
From 2013 to 2015, Quirke had a recurring role as Susan Wright in ITV drama series Broadchurch, appearing in all eight episodes of the first series and returning to feature in two of the eight episodes of the second series. Her pet Labrador, Bailey, also appeared in the programme. She was a guest panellist on Loose Women on two occasions. In 2015, she played the role of Paula Winton in the ten-part comedy thriller You, Me and the Apocalypse for Sky1.
Quirke decided not to be involved in the final episode of Birds of a Feather in December 2020, in order to concentrate on her Performing Arts Academies.
Charity work Quirke is an honorary member of the NSPCC, supports the charities Children with Leukaemia, Children in Crisis and Children’s Hospices UK. She is a patron of Rennie Grove Hospice.
Personal life Quirke has two children with her husband Steve Sheen, a producer who also worked on Birds of a Feather as an executive producer from 2014 until 2017. Their son, Charlie, appeared as Travis in Birds of a Feather from 2014 until 2017.
Quirke was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to young people, the entertainment industry and charity.
In 2025, Quirke's husband announced that she would be retiring from all professional and commercial duties due to a diagnosis of dementia, which she had received in 2021.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1970 Junket 89 Molly Main role1971 Dixon of Dock Green Jane Taylor 1 episode Softly, Softly: Task Force Janice West 1 episode 1972 The Problem with 2B Molly Main role 1973 Malachi's Cove Store Girl Supporting role1974 The Tomorrow People Student Recurring role (3 episodes) Play for Today Checkout Girl 1 episode1975 Shadows Dawn 1 episode Jenny Can't Work Any Faster Jenny Television film 1975–1976 You Must Be Joking! Various (3 episodes) 1976 Beasts Noreen Beale 1 episode 1976 Pauline's Quirkes Herself - presenter 6 episodes 1976–1983 Angels Kate Morahan/Vicky Smith Regular roles (66 episodes)1977 Television Club Pud Regular role (6 episodes) The Duchess of Duke Street Pearl (2 episodes) 1978 Crown Court Patsy Donovan 1 episode 1979 Lovely Couple Carole Richards Regular role (11 episodes)1980 Ain't Many Angels Various Television film The Further Adventures of Oliver Twist Charlotte Regular role (9 episodes) Both Ends Meet Cissy White Television film The Elephant Man 2nd Whore Minor role1982 Play for Today Eleanor 1 episode The Story of the Treasure Seekers Eliza Regular role (6 episodes) The Return of the Soldier Girl in Hospital Minor role Q.E.D Jane 1 episode 1984–1995 Shine on Harvey Moon Veronica Recurring roles (13 episodes) 1986 Girls on Top Cleaner 1 episode1987 Hardwicke House Gladys 1 episode Little Dorrit Maggie Supporting role1988 Rockliffe's Babies Lorraine Morelli 1 episode Distant Voices, Still Lives Doreen Supporting role Casualty Mary Taylor 1 episode 1989 Getting It Right Muriel Sutton Supporting role 1989–1998, 2014–2017 Birds of a Feather Sharon Theodopolopodous Main role (128 episodes) 1995–1996 Jackanory Storyteller 2 episodes1996 The Sculptress Olive Martin Main role (4 episodes) Waiting for Giro Bo Short film1997 Our Boy Sonia Williamson Television film The Canterville Ghost Madame Murielle Television film Deadly Summer Linda Topping Television film 1998–1999 Maisie Raine D.I. Maisie Raine Main role (12 episodes) 1998–1999 Real Women Mandy Evans Regular role (7 episodes)1999 Last Christmas Gwen Television film David Copperfield Peggotty Main role (2 episodes) Real Women 2 Mandy Evans Main role 2000 Checkout Girl Lynda Short film 2000–2003 Down to Earth Faith Regular role (18 episodes)2001 Office Gossip Jo Regular role (6 episodes) Arthur's Dyke Janet Main role Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) Felia Siderova 1 episode Redemption Road Joan Supporting role2002 Murder in Mind Jane Saunders 1 episode Being April April Regular role (6 episodes)2004 Carrie's War Hepzibah Green Television film North & South Dixon Regular role (4 episodes) 2005 The Bill Cathy Wilson Recurring role (5 episodes)2006 The Thieving Headmistress Colleen McCabe Television film Casualty Jackie Rogers 1 episode 2007–2008 Cold Blood D.I. Hazel Norton Recurring role (4 episodes) 2008 My Family Joan 1 episode 2009–2010 Missing D.S. Mary Jane Croft Regular role (15 episodes)2010 Skins D.S. Blunt Recurring role (3 episodes) The Perfect Burger Mrs. Grieves Supporting role 2010–2012 Emmerdale Hazel Rhodes Regular role (222 episodes) 2013 Grace's Story Nat Short film 2013–2015 Broadchurch Susan Wright Recurring role (10 episodes) 2015 You, Me and the Apocalypse Paula Regular role (6 episodes)
Selected stage credits Year Title Role Notes 1990–1991 Cinderella Ugly Sister Hackney Empire 1991–1992 Dick Whittington Dick Hackney Empire 2012 Birds of a Feather Sharon Theodopolopodous UK Tour 2016–2017 Cinderella Fairy Godmother Beck Theatre
Awards and nominations Year Nominated For Award Category Result 1990 Birds of a Feather British Comedy Awards Best TV Comedy Newcomer 1990 Best TV Comedy Actress 1997 The Sculptress BAFTA TV Awards Best Actress 1997 Birds of a Feather National Television Awards Most Popular Comedy Performer 1998 Most Popular Actress 1999 Most Popular Comedy Performer 2001 Office Gossip 2002 Down to Earth Most Popular Actress 2011 Emmerdale British Soap Awards Best Newcomer 2011 TV Choice Awards Best Soap Actress 2011 Inside Soap Awards Best Actress 2011 Best Newcomer 2013 Broadchurch Crime Thriller Awards Best Supporting Actress Dagger
References
External links Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts
Pauline Quirke at the British Film Institute Pauline Quirke at BBC Comedy Guide Pauline Quirke at BBC Drama Faces