Birds Of A Feather to return for Christmas special
- Birds Of A Feather will return to ITV this Christmas
- Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph will appear in the extended-length special, with Les Dennis
- However, for the first time, the show will not feature co-star Pauline Quirke
Birds Of A Feather is to return to TV this Christmas for a new 45-minute festive special.
The hit sitcom, first broadcast by the BBC in 1989, last aired on ITV in 2017.
However, co-star Pauline Quirke will not reprise her role as Sharon Theodopolopodous, as she focuses on her Pauline Quirke Academy national network of performing arts schools.
ITV tease: "It's been three years since we last saw the Birds, after Tracey reluctantly sold the house they all shared to Dorien. At the end of a 2020 no-one could have predicted, we catch up with the inhabitants of our favourite Essex address... and find big changes in all their lives. Tracey and Dorien have been getting right on each others' thruppennies, while Sharon has escaped to the other side of the world and is stuck on a Covid-cruise... Who can fill the Sharon-shaped hole in their lives this Christmas?"
Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph will star in the special, with guest star Les Dennis as Dorien's new flame Graeme, a cameo from Curtis Walker, and Ami Metcalf as Jordan.
Robson announced on Loose Women that filming wrapped yesterday. Like a number of the sitcom's past specials, no studio audience is involved.
She explained: "We're delighted. [ITV] repeated the last two series during lockdown and [they] did really well in the ratings and everything and ITV asked us if we'd like to come back. And we went 'yes! Of course we'd like to come back!'"
Aired in a succession of Friday and Monday evening 8pm slots between mid-May and mid-August, the comedy drew an average audience of 2.61 million viewers per episode.
Robson added: "[Pauline] wants to give up acting and just carry on with her academy. We really missed her. But it was her choice."
Creators Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran said: "We're really excited to help bring Birds Of A Feather back to ITV's screens to give the nation some seasonal cheer in these peculiar times."
Lesley Joseph says: "I'm so excited to be putting Dorien's high heels back on for a Christmas special of Birds. It's been 3 years since viewers last saw us and Dorien's only gone and got herself a new man! We all need a laugh right now and I promise this special will deliver the festive goods!"
Linda Robson adds: "I'm so happy we have a new Birds adventure. Trace and Dor have been at loggerheads with each other for months, will it be a peaceful Christmas in Essex?! The script for this special is brilliant, I promise we'll have lots of laughs for fans of the show."
The new episode has been written by Marks & Gran with regular Birds scribes Gary Lawson and John Phelps. Ali Carron produces the special, with Jon Rolph executive producing for Hare And Tortoise.
Birds Of A Feather - The Collection
One of the most successful and well-loved sitcoms of all time, Birds Of A Feather stars Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson as Sharon and Tracey, the North London-born sisters left to fend for themselves financially and emotionally when their husbands are sent to prison; Lesley Joseph stars as their man-eating friend and neighbour, Dorien.
Created by the legendary Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, this set brings together all nine series from the original BBC run, alongside all three series made for ITV - plus the 2016 Christmas special!
First released: Monday 13th November 2017
DVD DVD- Released: Monday 20th May 2024
- Distributor: Old Gold Media
- Region: 2
- Discs: 23
- Minutes: 3,651
- Catalogue: OGM0002
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- Distributor: Network
- Region: 2
- Discs: 23
- Minutes: 3,651
- Catalogue: 7954739
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Search for this product on eBay
BCG may earn commission on sales generated through the links above.