Pauline Quirke has withdrawn from acting after being diagnosed with dementia – and a doctor has shared one early sign of the disease to look out for.
The Birds of a Feather star, 65, will ‘step away from all commercial and professional duties’ to spend time with family, her husband Steve Sheen 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,” Sheen said in a statement. “We kindly request privacy and understanding for Pauline and our family during this difficult period.
“For the time being we will not be engaging in interviews or making further statements, since Pauline just wants to spend time with her family, children and grandchildren.”
Dr Stephen Cabral, taking to TikTok, shared what he believes is the ‘number one’ early warning sign of dementia. He explained that while misremembering names, words or memories can be a sign of the disease, it’s also common in people who do not have dementia or Alzheimer’s.
“It’s actually – number one – is getting lost more easily,” he explained. “If you’re younger and stressed, you forget where you put your keys, you forget someone’s name, you forget the next thing you were supposed to do, [that’s] not uncommon.
What would be uncommon, even when you’re younger, is to say, ‘I don’t know where I am right now. I’m lost.'”. Another warning sign, Dr. Cabral pointed out, is if typically competent drivers struggle to “pull into a spot and park straight.”
Commenting on the video, people shared their personal experiences with dementia. One person shared: “I turned my dad in to the dmv and his doctor and he kept passing tests. He would get lost for hours while driving, fender benders, and other drivers honking at him….”
“Looking back at my dad’s, this is 100% accurate,” said another. “I couldn’t believe that he was having trouble finding my house where he’d been a million times.”
A third person added: “The biggest sign with my father was he couldn’t tell time from a watch or clock anymore. Number one item that showed the sign.”
Quirke, who played Sharon Theodopolopodous in the original series and appeared in a revival of the sitcom from 2014 to 2017. Her illustrious career also included roles in Emmerdale, Broadchurch and The Sculptress. Born in Hackney, east London, Quirke has a 30-year-old son, Charlie, whom she shares with Sheen.
She also has a 40-year-old daughter, Emily, from a previous relationship. Hilary Evans-Newton, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, expressed her condolences for Quirke and her family in a statement: “We are saddened to hear of Pauline’s diagnosis and send our best wishes to her, Steve and the wider family.
“The family should be praised for making the brave decision to make her diagnosis public, which will not only provide more freedom for them, but also raise such vital awareness of the condition.”
She added: “We’re so grateful that Pauline and Steve have pledged to support our work when the time is right. We look forward to working with them to raise further awareness of dementia and funds for research.”
The NHS lists getting lost or “being confused about time and place” as one of several symptoms of dementia, along with memory loss, difficulty concentrating, issues with carrying out familiar daily tasks, challenges in following conversations or finding the right words, and experiencing mood changes.