Pauline Quirke was diagnosed with dementia in 2021.

Pauline Quirke was diagnosed with dementia in 2021Â (Image: ITV)
Pauline Quirkeâs son is now halfway through his 140km fundraising walk for Alzheimerâs Research UK, a route that takes him through locations significant to his mumâs life and career. The Birds of a Feather actress, 66, was diagnosed with dementia in 2021. Charlie Quirke, 31, set off on Monday morning at Victory Hall in Chigwell, the town where the iconic BBC sitcom was set.
Charlie was waved off by his motherâs close friend and co-star Linda Robson and actor Ray Winstone. Charlie said: âMy mumâs career has been so iconic and so many places have formed her life â itâs going to be a really emotional, beautiful journey. Itâs moments from her career and her personal life â Islington, where she grew up with Linda, to Windsor where mum got her MBE, past many Pauline Quirke Academies locations.â

Charlie Quirke is halfway through his 140km fundraising walk for Alzheimerâs Research UKÂ (Image: Alzheimerâs Research UK)
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Now halfway through the 87 mile walk, Charlieâs progress was covered on BBC Breakfast.
Sarah Campbell said: âYesterday marked day two of his 140km trek. He left Stoke Newington in the early hours of the morning before heading to Hackney Empire where Pauline spent many years performing in the panto.â
Jon Kay added: âHeâs got three days left of his challenge which goes across five counties, stopping off at more places that have been significant in his mumâs life and career. Charlieâs already raised more than ÂŁ75,000 â phenomenal effort.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Loose Women star Linda, 67, issued an update on Pauline. The pair became friends at the age of ten when they began attending the same theatre school, later going on to work together on screen.

Charlieâs progress has been covered on BBC Breakfast (Image: Alzheimerâs Research UK)
In an emotional update, Linda revealed that she saw Pauline a few weeks ago and left happy as she knew her friend was being looked after.
She said: âWe met up about three or four weeks ago at a restaurant. It was so lovely. She was just giggling, and just really enjoying it, she ate everything as well.
âI left there happy because she was happy, and I knew they were looking after her really well.â
Speaking ahead of Charlieâs walk, Linda added: âIâve known him since he was in the womb, really, heâs a good boy. Thereâs so many people now that get dementia now, my mum for instance had it really, really bad and itâs the worst thing ever I think.â


