Linda Robson
Encyclopedia
Linda Patricia Mary Robson (born 13 March 1958) is an English
actress. She played Tracey in the BBC
comedy, Birds of a Feather
from 1989 to 1998.
She continues to reside in Islington
, North London
with her husband and three children Lauren (b. 1984), Louis (b. 1992) and Bobbie (b. 1997). Robson is a supporter of the Conservative Party.
in 1982 and the IRA drama Harry's Game
.
She is best known for playing Tracey in the hit BBC
comedy Birds of a Feather
from 1989 to 1998 alongside Pauline Quirke
.
She subsequently appeared in programmes such as The Bill
and Crossroads. Robson appeared alongside Jenny Eclair and Dillie Keane
in the original cast of Grumpy Old Women Live
, a spin-off from the television series, written by Jenny Eclair and Judith Holder.
Robson also appeared in the Channel 4
series Come Dine With Me
in 2006, in which she came last, and she is an occasional guest presenter for BBC London 94.9
.
On 9 August 2007, she narrated a show for ITV
called Britain's Youngest Brides. Linda joined friend and cast member Pauline Quirke on The Paul O'Grady Show
on 1 November 2007. In July 2008, Robson entered Celebrity MasterChef and reached the semi-finals.
In July 2010, Robson made a guest appearance in the BBC drama series Casualty
, playing the mother of a young man with bipolar disorder
.
, Celebrity Blind Man's Bluff, Come Dine With Me
, Celebrities Under Pressure
, The Weakest Link
, and Comic Relief does Fame Academy
but was evicted on the third show. In January 2010 she was one of five celebrities to appear in Celebrity Quitters, a factual show about giving up smoking, on Five.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actress. She played Tracey in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
comedy, Birds of a Feather
Birds of a Feather
Birds of a Feather was a British sitcom that was broadcast on BBC1 from 1989 until 1998. Starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph, it was created by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, who also wrote some of the episodes along with many other writers.The first episode sees sisters...
from 1989 to 1998.
Personal life and education
Robson was educated at Ecclesbourne Primary School, and at the private, fee-paying Anna Scher Theatre School, both in her native Islington.She continues to reside in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
with her husband and three children Lauren (b. 1984), Louis (b. 1992) and Bobbie (b. 1997). Robson is a supporter of the Conservative Party.
Career
Linda Robson had a non-speaking role as a young girl amidst a group of roaming 'survivors' in the second series of the original BBC Survivors drama screened in 1976, and then appeared in Pauline's Quirkes in 1976 (her first regular appearance with Pauline Quirke), the comedy drama Shine on Harvey MoonShine on Harvey Moon
Shine on Harvey Moon is a British television series made by Central Television for ITV from 8 January 1982 to 23 August 1985 and briefly revived in 1995 by Meridian....
in 1982 and the IRA drama Harry's Game
Harry's Game
Harry's Game is a British television miniseries made by Yorkshire Television for ITV in 1982. It is based on the novel of the same name by Gerald Seymour, which was published in 1975.The three-part serial starred Ray Lonnen as Capt...
.
She is best known for playing Tracey in the hit BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
comedy Birds of a Feather
Birds of a Feather
Birds of a Feather was a British sitcom that was broadcast on BBC1 from 1989 until 1998. Starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph, it was created by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, who also wrote some of the episodes along with many other writers.The first episode sees sisters...
from 1989 to 1998 alongside Pauline Quirke
Pauline Quirke
Pauline Perpetua Quirke is a British actress. She is best known for her role as Sharon in the comedy series Birds of a Feather, alongside her lifelong friend and frequent acting partner Linda Robson...
.
She subsequently appeared in programmes such as The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
and Crossroads. Robson appeared alongside Jenny Eclair and Dillie Keane
Dillie Keane
Louise M. "Dillie" Keane is an Olivier Award-nominated actress, singer and comedienne. She is perhaps best known as one third of the comedy cabaret trio Fascinating Aida since its 1983 inception, but she has also had a prominent solo career.-Theatre and Fascinating Aida:Keane was nominated for a...
in the original cast of Grumpy Old Women Live
Grumpy Old Women Live
Grumpy Old Women Live is a stage show based on the series BBC television series Grumpy Old Women.-Inception:The idea of a live show of Grumpy Old Women, which had already been successful on the television, came about in Spring 2005 to producer Judith Holder and Grumpy contributor Jenny Eclair, and...
, a spin-off from the television series, written by Jenny Eclair and Judith Holder.
Robson also appeared in the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
series Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me is a popular Channel 4 television programme shown in the United Kingdom, produced by Granada Television and first broadcast in January 2005. The show has either four or five amateur chefs competing against each other hosting a dinner party for the other contestants...
in 2006, in which she came last, and she is an occasional guest presenter for BBC London 94.9
BBC London 94.9
BBC London 94.9 is London's BBC Local Radio station, and part of BBC London. Broadcasting across Greater London and beyond on 94.9 FM, DAB, Virgin Media Channel 930, Sky Channel 0152 and also online...
.
On 9 August 2007, she narrated a show for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
called Britain's Youngest Brides. Linda joined friend and cast member Pauline Quirke on The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show was a BAFTA award-winning British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4...
on 1 November 2007. In July 2008, Robson entered Celebrity MasterChef and reached the semi-finals.
In July 2010, Robson made a guest appearance in the BBC drama series Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
, playing the mother of a young man with bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
.
Reality TV
She has also appeared in numerous reality TV and game shows, including Dick Turpin, I'm Famous and Frightened!I'm Famous and Frightened!
I'm Famous and Frightened was a Living TV reality TV show in which 8 celebrities stayed for three nights in a "haunted" castle. They had to then do terrifying challenges in order to raise money for charity; each one was evicted until only the winner was left.The first series aired on Friday 12...
, Celebrity Blind Man's Bluff, Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me is a popular Channel 4 television programme shown in the United Kingdom, produced by Granada Television and first broadcast in January 2005. The show has either four or five amateur chefs competing against each other hosting a dinner party for the other contestants...
, Celebrities Under Pressure
Celebrities Under Pressure
Celebrities Under Pressure is a Saturday night entertainment show which aired in the United Kingdom on ITV.The show follows families allowing a celebrity to live with them for a week as they attempt to learn a new skill from their hosts. The celebrity's progress is followed through a video diary,...
, The Weakest Link
The Weakest Link
The Weakest Link is a television game show which first appeared in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 14 August 2000 and will end its run in 2012 when its host Anne Robinson ends her contract. The original British version of the show airs around the world on BBC Entertainment...
, and Comic Relief does Fame Academy
Comic Relief Does Fame Academy
Comic Relief Does Fame Academy is a spin-off of the original Fame Academy show where celebrities sing as students of the Academy. The programme was launched in 2003 to help raise money for the charities supported by Comic Relief, with the final of the show occurring on Red Nose Day...
but was evicted on the third show. In January 2010 she was one of five celebrities to appear in Celebrity Quitters, a factual show about giving up smoking, on Five.