‘She is resting with her heels’: Lesley Joseph, 75, confirms the end of Birds Of A Feather and says goodbye to her character Dorien Green as she dispels rumours of a rift with Pauline Quirke
Lesley Joseph has confirmed the end of Birds Of A Feather and in turn, her character Dorien Green, as she squashed any rumours of a rift with co-star Pauline Quirke on Tuesday.
The veteran actress, 75, revealed the one-off Christmas show, which aired last year, was the final episode of the iconic sitcom which spans 32 years.
She also admitted she is relieved to be moving onto new projects after struggling to drop a dress size to portray the man-eating neighbour, according to The Sun.
Over: Lesley Joseph has confirmed the end of Birds Of A Feather and in turn, her character Dorien Green, as she squashed any rumours of a rift with co-star Pauline Quirke on Tuesday
Speaking at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival Preview Day, she said: ‘I don’t think it’s going to happen again to be absolutely honest. I think after 32 years, I need to do other things.’
The star then chatted about how it’s ‘not easy’ playing Dorien has she has to be very thin and it’s difficult to lose the weight, ‘especially when you’ve had Victoria sponge the whole of lockdown’.
‘As Dorien you could never eat that. But it’s coming off now. I’ve just lost 10 pounds.’
According to Lesley, she normally fits into a size 8 but had to shrink down to a size 6 to get into character.
‘She is resting with her heels’: The veteran actress, 75, revealed the one-off Christmas show, which aired last year, was the final episode of the iconic sitcom which spans 32 years (pictured on the show in 2012)
In character: She also admitted she is relieved to be moving onto new projects after struggling to drop a dress size to portray the man-eating neighbour
She added: ‘I have lived with her for 32 years but she’s now rested… rested with her heels.’
Her former co-star Pauline, 61, declined to take part in the Christmas special of the ITV series, leaving just Linda Robson and Lesley starring in it, and garnering 7.9million views.
In May, ITV announced that the series had been permanently axed amid rumours of an ongoing feud with the absent actress.
However, Lesley insisted there is no bad blood, adding: ‘I missed Pauline a lot…I love her.’
Birds Of A Feather tells the story of two sisters whose husbands are jailed for armed robbery, and it ran for nine series on the BBC between 1989 and 1998 before being revived by ITV in 2014.
Future: Speaking at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, she said: ‘I don’t think it’s going to happen again to be absolutely honest. I think after 32 years, I need to do other things’
Missing out: Her former co-star Pauline, 61, (centre) declined to take part in the Christmas special of the ITV series, leaving just Linda Robson (left) and Lesley starring in it
‘No shows last over 30 years. They don’t… come on,’ Lesley said, confirming she didn’t think the show would last forever.
‘I mean, Only Fools and Horses didn’t and Fawlty Towers did two series or 12 episodes but no show lasts that long.’
Offering her own explanation for the series coming to an end and Pauline’s absence, Linda, 63, said on Loose Women on Wednesday: ‘She [Pauline] just doesn’t want to act anymore.
‘She wants to concentrate on her academies. You have to respect her wishes.’
On good terms: However, Lesley insisted there is no bad blood, adding: ‘I missed Pauline a lot…I love her’ (pictured Pauline on Birds Of Feather)