Latest news with #LooseWomen:ThePodcast
Daily Record
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Birds of a Feather's Lesley Joseph says 'I don't know how long i've got left'
Lesley Joseph rose to fame in the 1980s alongside Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke after the success of Birds of a Feather but now she has shared her fears for her future in television Actress Lesley Joseph has spoken out about her career after her time on Birds of a Feather, admitting she "doesn't know how long she has left" as she addressed her future in the television industry. The 79 year old had several different TV roles during the 1970s and 80s. But her career really skyrocketed when she was cast as Dorien Green in BBC's Birds of a Feather alongside Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke. Her character Dorien quickly became popular with viewers for her bold fashion choices and quick-witted one-liners, making her one of television's most memorable icons. The sitcom concluded in 1998 but was later revived by ITV in 2014, before being cancelled again in 2021, Bristol Live reports. Lesley says the show's end "came as a relief," humorously remarking she "wouldn't have wanted to see Dorien with a zimmer frame." She has also ruled out reprising her role as Dorien in the future, feeling she has "laid her to rest now". Reflecting about her future in television, Lesley opened up to Woman's Own, saying: "At my age, I don't know how much longer I have left in the business." She believes the secret to her six-decade career has been down to her ability to show versatility, adding: "I'm still ambitious, but I know my time is limited." Despite this, the star believes there's been a "renaissance" of older women on screen recently and maintains a zest for life as she approaches her 80th birthday, a trait she attributes to her mother. Lesley said her mum died just short of 104, and she remained physical and active into her late 90s. She stopped playing badminton when she turned 90 but continued to dance late into her 90s. Lesley likes to stay fit admitting she "walks everywhere" and does yoga when she can. She also makes sure she "sleeps as much as she can" and takes her vitamins, as she's a strong believer in exercising both physically and mentally. The actress is keen to stay in shape because she believes she has "a lot more to offer" and she has roles she would like to take on before she retires. She admits she can get "frustrated" at being labelled as a "sitcom queen". Lesley's Birds of a Feather co-star Linda recently revealed there are no plans to bring back the show. It comes after Pauline Quirke's husband Steven Sheen announced she was stepping back from life in the public eye after being diagnosed with dementia. When asked by Jane Moore if the show would return on Loose Women: The Podcast, Linda revealed: "No, it's not going to come back. Because of Pauline, she's not going to work again now." Linda further discussed 65-year-old Pauline's health, mentioning that she has her "down days" but has been "quite up" recently. Paulines son Charlie keeps Linda updated on his mum's health. Linda said: "Charlie rang me and just said she is doing really, really well at the moment. Sometimes she has down days but at the moment she is quite up about everything." "He said they got really, really excited when she said, 'Here, where's my mate Linda Robson?' So I got quite emotional when he told me that as well."
Edinburgh Live
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Birds of a Feather's Lesley Joseph admits 'I don't know how much longer I've got'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info TV stalwart Lesley Joseph has spoken out about her career post-Birds of a Feather, acknowledging that her days in the limelight might be waning. At 79-years-old, Joseph, who became a star after years in the acting business with her portrayal of the vivacious Dorien Green, reflected on the show's conclusion. The series originally wrapped up in 1998 but made a comeback on ITV in 2014, only to be axed again in 2021. Reflecting on the show's end, Lesley shared her sense of relief, stating: "It came as a relief," and humorously remarked about her character, "I wouldn't have wanted to see Dorien with a zimmer frame." READ MORE - Eamonn Holmes falls live on GB News after making urgent plea to co-star READ MORE - Princess Diana's trusted bodyguard's chilling claim on car crash before his death She expressed contentment with putting Dorien to rest, saying: "I've laid her to rest now." In a candid interview with Woman's Own, Lesley opened up about the challenges of ageing in an industry that often overlooks older women. "At my age, I don't know how much longer I have left in the business," she admitted, yet she remains driven: "I'm still ambitious, but I know my time is limited," she conceded, reports the Mirror. Joseph attributes her enduring career to her versatility and willingness to embrace different characters, and she's heartened by the increasing presence of mature women on television. "There's been a renaissance of older women on screen recently," she observed. Approaching her 80th birthday, Lesley Joseph's zest for life is undiminished, a trait she credits to her late mother's influence. "My mum died just short of 104," she revealed. (Image: ITV) (Image: (Image: Getty)) "She was dancing until she was 96 and only stopped playing badminton when she was 90." Lesley maintains her health by walking extensively, practising yoga, ensuring adequate rest, and keeping on top of her vitamin intake. "Exercising both physically and mentally is key," she emphasised. Despite moving on from her sitcom fame, Joseph is eager to explore new opportunities. "I've got a lot more to offer," she declared, although she concedes that being pigeonholed due to her iconic role can be irksome. "It can get frustrating being called a 'sitcom queen'," she admitted. In other news, Birds of a Feather fans have had their hopes dashed for a series return. Linda Robson, speaking on Loose Women: The Podcast, confirmed the show's end, citing Pauline Quirke's retirement from acting due to a dementia diagnosis. "No, it's not going to come back. Because of Pauline, she's not going to work again now," Linda stated. Linda also shared updates on Quirke's condition, noting that while there are challenging days, there are positive developments too. "Charlie [Pauline's son] rang me and just said she is doing really, really well at the moment," she reported. "Sometimes she has down days, but at the moment she is quite up about everything." Linda Robson was visibly moved as she recounted the moment, saying, "He said they got really, really excited when she said, 'Here, where's my mate Linda Robson?' So I got quite emotional when he told me that as well."
Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Birds of a Feather star says 'I don't know how long I've got left' in sad update
The TV icon Lesley Joseph opens up about ageing in showbiz, saying goodbye to Dorien Green, and why she still has more roles she would love to play Television veteran Lesley Joseph has opened up about life after Birds of a Feather, revealing she's come to terms with the fact that her time in the spotlight may be drawing to a close. Now 79, Joseph found fame after decades of acting when she stepped into the high heels of the flamboyant Dorien Green - a role that made her a household name and TV icon. The original run of the show ended in 1998 but was brought back by ITV in 2014 before being cancelled again in 2021. Looking back, Lesley admits the end of Birds of a Feather came at the right time. 'It came as a relief,' she said candidly. 'I wouldn't have wanted to see Dorien with a zimmer frame.' She's also made peace with leaving the character behind for good, adding: 'I've laid her to rest now.' Speaking to Woman's Own, the actress was refreshingly honest about the reality of growing older in an industry that often sidelines women past a certain age. 'At my age, I don't know how much longer I have left in the business,' she confessed. Still, her spark remains. 'I'm still ambitious, but I know my time is limited,' she added. Joseph credits her long-lasting career to her ability to adapt and take on varied roles, and she's optimistic about the changing landscape of TV. 'There's been a renaissance of older women on screen recently,' she noted. Despite turning 80 later this year, Lesley's energy and outlook remain upbeat—something she attributes to the example set by her late mother. 'My mum died just short of 104,' she shared. 'She was dancing until she was 96 and only stopped playing badminton when she was 90.' To stay fit and active, Lesley says she 'walks everywhere,' does yoga regularly, prioritises rest, and keeps up with her vitamins. 'Exercising both physically and mentally is key,' she added. Even with her sitcom days behind her, Joseph says she still has plenty she wants to achieve. 'I've got a lot more to offer,' she said, though she admits being boxed in by her most famous role can be frustrating. 'It can get frustrating being called a 'sitcom queen',' she acknowledged. Meanwhile, fans hoping for a Birds of a Feather revival were recently given a definitive answer. Co-star Linda Robson confirmed that the show will not be returning, following the news that Pauline Quirke has retired from acting after a dementia diagnosis. Appearing on Loose Women: The Podcast, Linda said: 'No, it's not going to come back. Because of Pauline, she's not going to work again now.' Robson added that while Quirke, now 65, has her 'down days,' there have also been encouraging signs. 'Charlie [Pauline's son] rang me and just said she is doing really, really well at the moment,' Linda shared. 'Sometimes she has down days, but at the moment she is quite up about everything.' In a moment that clearly moved her, Linda recalled: 'He said they got really, really excited when she said, 'Here, where's my mate Linda Robson?' So I got quite emotional when he told me that as well.'
Daily Mirror
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Loose Women cast could be dramatically cut by a third in brutal ITV cull
After ITV announced a major shakeup to it's daytime television shows, it's feared Loose Women's cast could be cut by up to a third with the show being reduced across the year Major changes are coming to ITV, and it could spell bad news for a number of popular presenters. It was announced recently that the organisation is having a massive shake-up with how its daytime TV will feature, and it appears the Loose Women crew could feel the full force of the switches. ITV daytime is set to look very different in a few months following the announcement of the huge change. It sees a rejig of a number of shows, including Good Morning Britain. ITV news and magazine shows usually run from 6am to 1.30pm weekdays and include the breakfast show followed by Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women. However, from January 2026, Good Morning Britain will be extended by 30 minutes to run from 6am to 9.30am daily. The change also sees Lorraine Kelly's show cut in half. It will now run from 9.30am until 10am, and only be on our screens for 30 weeks of the year - the same amount of weeks as Loose Women will now air. It's thought up to a third of the 26-strong pool of Loose Women presenters could now face losing their job. A source told The Sun: "Everyone is completely gutted and in shock. "We can't believe they would dismantle these brilliant shows. It's the death of daytime TV." Another added: "There's no way all the Loose Women will be needed now there'll be far fewer episodes to fill." Despite the on-screen show being cut, Loose Women: The Podcast will continue and provide more work for the cast. The overhaul was announced yesterday by Kevin Lygo, managing director of ITV's media and entertainment division. He said: "Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust as well generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres. He added: "I recognise that our plans will have an impact on staff off screen in our Daytime production teams. "We will work with ITV Studios and ITN as they manage these changes to produce the shows differently from next year, and support them through this transition. "Daytime has been a core element of ITV's schedule for over 40 years and these changes will set ITV up to continue to bring viewers award winning news, views and discussion as we enter our eighth decade."
Edinburgh Live
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Birds of a Feather star says 'I don't know how long I've got left' in heartbreaking admission
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Birds of a Feather star Lesley Joseph admits she "doesn't know how long she has left" as she addressed her TV future. Lesley, 79, had an extensive career with numerous TV roles throughout the 70s and 80s. However, it was her portrayal of Dorien Green in the BBC's Birds of a Feather, alongside Linda Robson and Pauline Quirke, that catapulted her to stardom. Dorien became an iconic character on British TV, known for her bold fashion and sharp one-liners. The show concluded in 1998 but was later revived by ITV in 2014, before being cancelled in 2021. Lesley has admitted that the show's end "came as a relief" to her, as she didn't want to see her character age ungracefully. She has also ruled out bringing back the character in the future, admitting she has "laid her to rest now". With the conclusion of Birds of a Feather, Lesley has been reflecting on what lies ahead for her in the world of television. In a conversation with Woman's Own, she revealed: "At my age, I don't know how much longer I have left in the business." (Image: ITV) Lesley believes the secret to her six-decade career has been showing her versatility. She added: "I'm still ambitious, but I know my time is limited." Despite this, Lesley notes a recent "renaissance" for older women on screen. Approaching her 80th birthday, she maintains a vibrant approach to life, a trait she believes she inherited from her mother. Lesley has shared touching insights about her late mother, who led an incredibly active life, only ceasing some of her energetic pastimes in her nineties. According to Lesley, her mum was still dancing at the age of 96 and didn't hang up her badminton racket until she was 90. To help stay fit herself, Lesley "walks everywhere" and does yoga in her spare time. She makes sure she "sleeps as much as she can" and takes vitamins, believing exercising both physically and mentally is key. (Image: Getty Images) Determined to remain healthy, Lesley feels she still has "a lot more to offer" and various roles she'd like to play before considering retirement. Nevertheless, she shares a hint of frustration regarding her reputation as a "sitcom queen". Meanwhile, her Birds of a Feather colleague Linda recently disclosed that there are no current plans to revive the popular show. Following the news of Pauline Quirke's step back from public appearances due to dementia—a condition diagnosed in 2021—Linda addressed the future of the programme on Loose Women: The Podcast. Responding to Jane Moore's query about the sitcom's return, Linda asserted: "No, it's not going to come back. Because of Pauline, she's not going to work again now." Linda opened up about Pauline's health, noting that while the 65-year-old experiences "down days", she has been "quite up" of late. She highlighted how Pauline's son Charlie keeps her informed on his mother's wellbeing. Relaying Charlie's update, Linda revealed: "Charlie rang me and just said she is doing really, really well at the moment. Sometimes she has down days but at the moment she is quite up about everything. "He said they got really, really excited when she said, 'Here, where's my mate Linda Robson?' So I got quite emotional when he told me that as well."
